mmmm^tmm 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  UOS  ANGELES 

THF.  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


iWlY    (^  XiJ^'» 


TO' 


'ast  date  stampe'"'  ■" 


i   1932 


\92^  


■v^^RN  BRA 


:H 


uM!VrRS\TY  or  CAt; 
^'         U3HAR 

LOS  ANGEUES.  ^AUF. 


/ 


'7f^?,2 


^ 


rr 


OSa^cUtjU  J' A^U^ 


MEN,  MINES  AND  ANIMALS 


IN 


SOUTH  AFRICA 


BY 


LORD  RANDOLPH  S.  CHURCHILL,  M.P. 


NEW  YORK 
D.  APPLETOX   AND   COMPANY 

1892 


A-^'?A' 


Loynox  : 

PRI?iTED    BY    GILBERT     VXD    RIVISCTOX,    LIMITED, 
SE.    lOHX's    HOUSE,    CLEEKEJTWELL,    EC. 


15  5 
C  4-1 


PEE FACE. 

At  the  request  of  the  publishers,  I  have,  against  my 
own  judgment,  consented  to  revise  the  letters  from 
South  Africa  which  I  wrote  to  Tlte  Baily  GrapJiic, 
in  1891,  with  a  view  to  their  j)ublication  in  the  form 
of  a  book.  The  critics  of  literary  and  epistolary 
efforts,  who  daily  inform  the  public  through  the 
columns  of  the  Press,  pronounced  with  tolerable 
unanimity,  that  these  letters  of  mine  were  devoid 
of  merit  and  unworthy  of  perusal.  To  this  judg- 
ment I  ought  to  have  bowed,  l3ut  then,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  ^proprietors  of  The  Daily  Gvapldc, 
who,  for  the  purposes  of  these  letters,  were  my 
employers  and  Avho  occupied  the  most  favourable 
position  for  the  formation  of  a  ^^I'actical  opinion 
as  to  whether  these  letters  did  or  did  not  displease 
tiie  public,  expressed  to  me  very  definitely  and 
without  qualification  their  satisfaction  with  the 
productions  of  which  I  was  the  author,  but  for 
^vhich  they  were  mainly  responsible.  A  question 
of  difficulty  arises.  Either  the  |)ublic  read  the 
letters,  or  it  did  not  read  them.  If  the  ^Dublic  did 
not  read  tlie  letters,  then  the  proj^rietors  of  The 
Dailij  (Jraplilc  would  have  been  dissatisfied  at  the 


iv  Preface. 

results  of"  ail  niireniunerativc  outlay.  But  these 
ii'entlemeu  were  not  dissatisfied ;  therefore  the 
public  did  I'ead  the  letters,  But  the  public  only 
reads  what  it  approves  of,  or  what  pleases  it. 
Tlien  I  am  led  to  a  stranii'e  and  terril:>le  conclusion. 
Either  the  critics  Avho  condemned  the  letters  were 
wrong,  or,  Avorse  still,  the  puljlic  does  not  care 
twopence  what  tlie  judgment  of  the  critics  may  be. 
It  is  on  the  off-cliance  that  this  state  of  thino-s, 
deduced  by  argument,  may  be  the  actual  state  of 
thino-s  that  I  a^'ain  submit  these  letters  to  the 
l)iil)lic  in  another  form.  In  the  course  of  succeed- 
ing years  many  men  and  women  will  leave  our 
shores  to  take  uj)  their  abode  in  South  Africa. 
Possibly  some  of  these  emigrants  may  glean  from 
the  following  i3ages  some  information  not  alto- 
gether valueless  as  to  the  country,  its  people,  its 
attractions,  its  modes  of  life  and  of  travel.  More- 
over, of  tliat  lariie  number  of  home-dwellinir 
])ersons  who  follo^v  witli  atfection  the  fortunes  of 
a  great  and  groAving  colony  in  South  Africa 
there  may  jx'rchance  be  some  whose  interest 
therein  may  be  (piickened  and  sustained  by  the 
perusal  of  the  experiences,  the  thoughts  of  an 
independent,  unprejudiced  wayfarer.  In  "either 
case  no  linnn  is  done  ;  even  a  few  grains  of  good 
mav  be  ])roduced. 

BcA^ond  mere  verbal  corrections  and  such  other 
corrections  as  Avere  necessary  for  the  transposition 
of  letters  to  a  neAvspajier  into  chapters  of  a  book. 


Preface.  v 

I  have  changed  nothmg  of  what  I  originally  wi'ote, 
Avith  the   two  following  exceptions.     Attempts  at 

liuiuuiir.  ur  whar  is  called  "  chatt'."  when  taken 
serioiish"  are  fa i hires  so  disastr^jii-  tliat  they  cannot 
be  too  (piickly  suppressed.  Under  this  category 
come  niv  allusions  to  the  cook  on  board  the  Grau- 
tuUij  Cadle  and  my  hazardous  specidation  on  the 
oriirin  of  the  female  sex.     This  latter  speculation, 

o  J. 

lightly  turned  off  in  a  sentence,  more  for  the  \mv- 
pose  of  an  elegant  termination  to  a  letter  than  for 
the  purpose  of  arousing  controversy,  was  received 
so  solemnly  by  grave  and  serious  joiu'uals  such  as 
The  Si^edator  and  Tin'  Speaher,  that  they  actually 
compared  my  ideas  (unfavourably  for  me,  I  admit) 
^^■ith  those  of  the  illustrious  Darwin.  By  the 
erasure  of  the  guilty  sentence  alhulod  to  from  the 
text  of  these  pages,  I  have  done  my  utmost  to 
withdraw  from  a  competition  so  dangerous  to  m\'- 
seh". 

1  Would  add  that  the  opinions  M'hich  I  expressed 
on  the  Dutch  })opidation  of  tlie  Transvaal  were 
intended  by  me  to  be  exclusively  conhned  to  that 
population.  Some  imagined  that  those  opinions 
were  intended  to  apply  generally  to  the  Dutch  in 
Sotith  Africa.  But  such  Avide  and  indiscriminate 
censure  was  far  from  m\'  mind.  The  Dutch 
settlers  in  Cape  Toliau'  ww  as  worth\-  nC  praise  as 
the'ir  rrlatiws,  the  Transxaal  Boors,  are  ol' blame. 
The  f  »rmer.  loval.  thrifty,  industrious,  hos[)ital»le. 
lilieral.  ai"e  and  will,  T  trust,  ever  remain  the  back- 


vi  Preface. 

bone  of  our  great  colony  ut  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  That  their  numbers  may  increase,  their 
influence  develop,  their  possessions  and  their 
wealth  expand,  is  my  earnest  hope,  nor  is  it  im- 
probable that  as  time  goes  on  the  Dutch  subjects 
of  the  CJueen  may  communicate,  by  exam])le  and 
by  intercourse,  some  of  their  excellent  qualities  to 
their  backward  brethren  in  the  Trans^'aal.  With 
these  brief  remarks,  I  submit  to  an  indulgent 
public  a  narrative  of  a  travel  every  hour  of  Avhich 
"Was  to  me  most  enjoyable,  a  travel  which  I  can 
confidently  recommend  to  all  who  are  desirous, 
and  who  are  so  fortunately  situated  as  to  be  able, 
to  make  excursions  for  their  pleasure  into  ncAv 
parts  of  the  world. 

Haxdulpii  S.  CiiUKcniLL. 

2,  Connaught  Place,  W., 
March  dth,  1892. 


\ 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   I. 

OUTWARD    BOUXD. 

PAGE 

r)c])arturc  from  PadJington  Station — Reasons  for  the 
journey — The  composition  of  the  party — Arrival  at 
Dartmouth — The  GrantitUy  Castle — Lisbon  :  tlic 
Zoological  Gaixlens — Madeira — Invitation  from  Mr. 
Benet-Stanford — A  suL-tropieal  Ljarden — Farewell  to 
Madeira — Shoals  of  flying  ti«h — From  breakfast  to 
bedtime  on  board  ship — Atldctic  sports  at  sea — 
Fire ! — Cape  Town  .         ....         .         .        1 

CHAPTER  II. 

CAPE    COLONY. 

Scenery  and  climate  of  Cai)e  Town — Public  Buildings — 
The  Government  House,  Natural  History  Museum, 
and  Public  Library — Adderley  Street — The  sea  pros- 
pect from  Cape  Town — Rivalry  of  Port  Elizabeth — 
The  inhabitants  and  environs  of  Cape  Town — Dutch 
and  English  in  the  coluny — Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes — The 
Transvaal  War  of  1881— Majuba  Hill— Cape  Politics 
— Tlie  South  African  States — Cape  Town  as  a  Coal- 
ing Station — Defences  of  the  Cape — Forts  at  Simon's 
Bay — Fort  Wynyard — General  Cameron  and  the 
Cape  Town  Garrison  .  .  .  .  .  .17 

CHAPTER  III.        ♦ 

DIAMONDS. 

"We  leave  Cape  Town — The  Paarl — Worcester  Town — The 
Hex  River  Pass — A  Paddington  man — Arrival  at 
jNIatjesfontein — Mr.  J.  D.  Logan — The  Karroo  — 
Diamond  Industry  at  Kimberley — Visit  to  the  offices 
of   the   De-  Beers    Company — Mr.   Cecil    Rhodes    a 


viii  Contents. 


^  jmblic  man  of  the  first  oidcr — Mr.  Gardner  AVillianis^ 
miniii,^-  engineer — The  blue  si'O^uid — Separatinpf  the 
diamonds — Precautions  against  Theft — The  De  Beers 
Company  a  model  Village  Community — Electric  light 
used  in  the  diamond  mines       .         .         .         .         .33 

ClTAl'TEK  11^ 

GOLD. 

The  diamonds  of  Kimberley — The  journey  to  Johannes- 
hurg — Railway  extensions — Grass  veldt  between 
Kimberley  and  A^ryburg — The  cattle  farm  of  the 
future — "  Native  Reserve  "  of  the  Southern  Eechuana 
— Wc  reach  A^iyburg — Sir  Sydney  Shippard  enter- 
tains us — Coaching  with  a  team  of  mules — The  way- 
faring man  in  the  Transvaal — An  attractive  little 
town — Gold  mines  in  the  neighbourhood — The  out- 
look at  Johannesburg — The  gold  mines — Selfish 
jealousy  of  the  Boer  Government — Astounding  in- 
ec^uality  of  taxation -(-Bad  condition  of  the  roads  to 
Johannesburg-VThe  vicious  system  of  concessions      .     49 

CHAPTER  V. 

MINING    AND    SPOUTING. 

Account  of  the  Robinson  Gold  Mine  at  Johannesburg — 
The  Langlaate  Estate — Chlurination  at  the  Ferriera 
jSfine — I)r.  Simon — The  McArthur-Forrest  process — 
(Observations  on  the  gold-fields  of  Johannesburg — 
Silver  Mines  in  the  Transvaal — Deer  preserves — 
(With  Dog  and  Gun  in  search  of  Game    ,  .         .         .Go 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    TRANSVAAL   BOEES. 

A  chance  for  British  enterprise — The  capacity  of  the 
Transvaal  and  the  incapacity  of  its  rulers — The 
journey  from  Johannesburg  to  Pretoria — Description 
of  Pretoria — The  Dutch  Parliament — From  the 
Strangers'  Gallery — An  interview  with  President 
Kruger — Parliamentary  manners — General  Joubert — 
,       Report  of  a  case  showing  the  Boer  idea  of  justice — 

J  Ill-treatment  of  Natives  by  the  Boers — Shall  we 
surrender  Swaziland — The  Withering  Grasp  of  the 
Boer '      .         .         .79 


CONTENTS.  ix 

CHAPTER  VII. 

ON    THE    ROAD    TO    MASHONALAND. 

PAGE 

The  Chartered  Company's  Station  at  Fort  Tuli — Mining 
in  the  Zoutspanburg  District — The  Progress  of  tlie 
"  Spider  " — Our  first  cooking  efforts — Hints  for 
sportsmen-/-8ixty  miles  without  water4-A  glimpse 
of  Fairyland — We  meet  Major  Sapte  and  Mr.  Victor 
Morier — Meeting  with  Captain  Laurie  at  Khodes's 
Drift — The  Bechuanaland  Border  Police— A  "Boer 
trek  " — President  Kruger's  position — Sir  Frederick 
Carrington  and  the  B.S.A.C.  Co.'s  police — Experi- 
ment with  the  new  magazine  Rifle    .  .  .  .90 

CHAPTER  VIII, 

THE  EXPEDITION  :    ITS    COMPOSITION  AND    EQUIPMENT, 

Major  Giles — A  fine  collection  of  giants — Our  rifles  and 
guns — Warning  and  advice  to  future  travellers — 
Composition  of  the  Expedition — Major  Giles's  trek 
from  Vryburg  to  Tuli — The  horse  sickness  in  Africa 
— A  camp  fire  concert  at  Fort  Tuli    ,         .         .         ,110 

CHAPTER  IX, 

THROUGH    BUCHUANALAND, 

Cold  nights  in  camp — The  horse  sickness — Visit  from  / 
Kaffir  women  to  our  Mariko  River  camp — Outspan 
on  the  banks  of  the  Crocodile  River — We  cross  the 
Mahalopsie  River — Dr.  Saur  and  Mr.  Williams — 
Camp  at  Silika — Arrival  at  the  Lotsani  River— The 
luxury  of  a  shave — The  Suchi  River — Headquarters 
of  the  Becliuanaland  Police  at  Matlaputta — The 
Macloutsie  River — I  lose  myself  near  the  Semalili 
River  while  in  quest  of  game — Catching  up  the 
waggons  ......... 


CHAPTER  X. 

TREKKING    AND    HUNTING. 

We  entertain  Sir  Frederick  Carrington — Farewell  to  Furt 
Tuli — The  business  of  inspanning — Our  camp  at 
night — Sport  with  Dr.  Rayner  and  Lee — Laying  the 
telegraph    wire — The    L^mzingwani    River    Camp — 


12G 


X  Contents. 


Koodoos,  quaggas,  and  lioney  birds — Lee's  boy  nick- 
named "The  Baboon"— The  elephant  fruit-tree- 
Lee  a  charming  companion  on  the  Veldt — The 
Umsajbetsi  liiver — Habits  of  oiir  oxen  and  mules — 
Shooting  game  in  South  Africa — -A  native  market — 
An  unsuccessful  antelope  hunt — The  mahogany  tree — 
Further  hunting  experiences — Camp  on  the  Bubjanc 
River — Our  conductor  Myberg  .  .         .         .142 

CHAPTER  XL 

LIOXS. 

Lion  Camp — The  tales  of  a  Huntsman — The  snake-tree — 
In  the  track  of  the  koodoos — We  come  across  a  posse 
of  Lions — Antelopes  and  quaggas — Return  to  camp 
for  the  dogs — Result  of  one  day's  sport — We  spend 
another  day  hunting — Provisions  running  short         .   Lj6 

CHAPTER  XII. 

PiFFICULTIES    OF     TRAVEL    OX    THE    VELDT. 

Tlie  wealth  of  Mashonaland — We  make  a  speedy  trek  and 
overtake  our  waggons — Further  losses  by  horse  sick- 
ness—  Stuck  fast  in  Wanetse  River — The  Sugar  Loaf 
and  other  miniature  mountains — -A  pestilential  spot 
on  the  Lundi  River  banks — A  word  of  Avarning — 
Viandt,  the  Boer  ostrich  hunter — We  reach  Fern 
Spruit — ])eath  of  my  shooting  pony  '^  Charlie  " — A 
veldt  fire — A  day  of  discomfort  and  disaster — Provi- 
dence Gorge — Description  of  Fort  Victoria — Gieat 
loss  of  horses — Advice  to  intending  emigrants  .         '.175 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

CHARACTER    OF    THE    COUNTRY    BETWEEN    FORTS    VICTORIA    AXIJ 
SALISBURY. 

Departure  for  -Fort  Salisbury — Our  native  workmen — 
Water  in  the  desert — A  dreary  journe}' — The  country 
between  Fort  Victoria  and  Fort  Charter — Where  is 
the  '  Promised  Land  '  ? — We  meet  ]Mr.  Colquhoun — 
The  garrison  of  Fort  Charter — From  Fort  Charter  to 
Fort  Salisbury — Lions  in  the  way — The  Settlement 
at  Fort  Salisbury — Signs  of  civilization — The  gold 
districts  of  Manica,  Mazoe  River,  and  Hartley  Hill — 
Reconnoitring  after  "ame  .  .         .  .  .193 


Contents.  xi 

CHAPTEK  XIV. 

SPORT    IN    MASHONALAND. 

PAGE 

Sport  in  South  Africa — Hints  to  inexperienced  sportsmen 
— Approximate  cost  of  equipment  for  a  six  months' 
hunting  expedition — Sir  John  Willoughby  arrives 
at  our  camp  on  the  Hunyani  River — Huntino;  the 
Hartehecst — How  to  cook  venison — A  Slough  of 
Despond — Farther  hunting  adventures  after  antelopes 
— A  native  hunting  party — A  cohra  in  the  camp- — 
]\rethod  of  scaring  vultures  off  dead  game — Accident 
to  Major  Giles — Scarcity  of  grain  and  food  in  Ma- 
shonaland — Return  to  Fort  Salisbury        .  .         .212 

CHAPTER    XV. 

THE    GOLD     DISTRICT    OF     TIIK    ilAZOE    RIVER. 

In  quest  of  gold — Exploration  syndicates — Mashonaland 
as  a  held  for  emigration— The  Mazoe  gold-fields — 
Captain  Williams's  report — Old  workings — The 
"  Golden  Quarry  "  mine — Other  mines  visited  in  the 
district — More  disappointments         ....    -34' 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

HUNTING    THE   ANTELOPE   ON     THE    HIGH   VELDT. 

■\Ve  start  for  Hartley  Hill — The  Mashonas  as  servants — 
Marriage  in  Mashonaland — All  alone  on  the  Veldt — 
Hints  to  hunters  when  lost  on  the  Veldt — A  Kaffir 
kraal — Barter  with  the  natives— Dangerously  bad 
shooting — The  troubles  of  trekking — The  country 
between  Fort  SalisVjury  and  Hartley  Hill — Wild 
flowers  and  fruit — Unsuccessful  chase  after  ostriches 
—A  fine  herd  of  eland— The  bull  of  the  herd  falls  to 
my  gun  .........  246 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

WEALTH    OF    MASHONALAND — DOUBT    AND    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

Hartley  Hill — Our  party  again  united — The  Tsetse-fly  pest 
— Mr.  Perkins  joins  me  in  a  day's  shooting — Surgeon 
Rayner's  adventure  with  a  lion — Contemplating  the 
return  journey — Making  a  clean  breast  of  it — Dccep- 


xii  Contents. 


PAGE 


live  appearances  — Reefs  in  the  Eiffel  district — What 
is  to  become  of  the  country  ? — Mr.  Perkins  and  the 
leopard    .........  2Go 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

LIFE   AT    FORT    SALISBURY, 

Mineral  Avealth  of  Mashonaland — Reefs  in  the  ]\Iazoe 
River  Valley — The  "  Matchless  "  Mine — Good  news 
from  Fort  Victoria — A  personal  statement — Enter- 
prise at  Fort  Salisbury — A  model  Ranche — Farms 
leased  by  the  Chartered  Company — An  interesting- 
auction — Indignation  meeting  against  the  Chartered 
Company — Horse-racing  at  Fort  Salisbury — Organiz- 
ing the  administration  of  Mashonaland — Mr.  Cecil 
Rhodcs's  views  of  the  country  .....  1270 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

0\    THE    ROAU    HOME. 

Second  visit  t(i  the  iiiines  in  theMazoe  Valley — Good-l)ye 
to  Fort  Salisbury — Bad  roads — The  officials  of  the 
Chartered  Company — Fort  Victoria  once  more- 
Climate  and  weather  in  Mashoiudand — Gold  dis- 
.    coveries    round  Fort   Victoria — My   faithful   savage 

y  "Tiriki  " — We  telegraph  home  from  Fort  Victoria—' 
Long's  Mine — The  Lundi  River^ — Bad  roads  again — 
Death  of  a  "  salted  horse  " — The  journey  to  Fort 
Tuli  a  record  "  trek  " -Jdo 

CHAPTER  XX. 

LOOKING    BACK. 

Our  method  of  travelling — Welcome  and  entertainment 
l)y  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police  at  Macloutsie — ■ 
Palapye^  the  capital  town  of  Chief  Khama — Lobengual, 
King  of  the  Matabele — Meditated  flight  of  all  his 
tribe  and  belongings — The  Bechuanaland  Exploration 
Com])any — Conversation  with  Khama,  Paramount 
Chief  in  the  Protectorate — Palla  Camp — The  Journey 
to  Mafeking — With  Mr.  Rhodes  at  Kimberley — The 
Agricultural  and  Mineral  Resources  of  the  Transvaal 
— ]\ry  advice  to  young  Englishmen  ....  313 

Index   .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .331 


LIST    OF     ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FULL  PAGE. 


Portrait  of  the  Autlior   .....        Fronti 

The  K.M.S.  Granhdii/  Castle,  3489  tons,  in  Dnvtmonth 
Harbour  ..... 

Luxurious  Travelling  in  Madeira 

A  JNIadeira  Caro,  or  covered  Sledgo 

Parliament  House,  Cape  Town 

Government  House  and  Gardens,  Cape  Town 

Adderley  Street,  Cape  Town 

On  the  Road  from  Johannesburg   to  Pretoria. — Crossing 
a  flooded  river         .... 

The  Market  Place,  Johannesburg    . 

A  Street  in  Johannesburg 

"The  Spider" 

Executive  Officers  of  the  Expedition 

A  Camp  Fire  Concert  at  Fort  Tuli 

Showing  a  flare  up  for  the  lost  one 

The  Members  of  the  Expedition 

First  night  out  from  Fort  Tuli 

Marketing  with  the  Makalaka 

Crossing  the  Lundi  River 

Two  Members    of    thi^    Expedition    crossing    the  Lund 
River     ........ 

A  Dreary  Road.  —The  View  fifty  miles  from  Fort  Charter 
Building  a  '^  Scherm  "  to  keep  off"  Lions  from  the  Cattle 

on  the  Hunyani  River     . 
A  Sketch  of  the  Country  from  Matipi's  Kraal 
Drawing  dead  Game  home  on  a  sleigh  made  from  the 
fork  of  a  tree  .... 


spiece. 

5 
9 
9 

18 
18 
19 

54 
57 
58 
100 
117 
124 
140 
142 
144 
153 
181 

181 
197 

204 
204 

229 


XIV 


List  of  Illustrations. 


On  the  Outskirts  of  Fort  Salisbury 

ISTcaring  the  end. — The  Sale  of  the  Surplus  Stock    ;vik 
Stores  of  the  Expedition  at  Fort  Salisbury 

Fort  Salisbury. — At  the  Dentists    .... 
The  Arrival  of  the  Telegraph   Line  at  Fort  Victoria.— 
Sending  a  telegram  to  London 

From  Tuli  to  Macloutsie         ..... 
Crossing  the  Notwani  after  the  heavy  rains     . 


TAGK 

2. SI 


2SG 
295 

305 
313 
325 


TEXT    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

A  Cape  Cart  ........ 

The  Defences  of  the  Capo. — A  9'2-inch  breech-loading 
g'^i^ 

£52.000  Avorth  of  diamonds  classified  for  shipment  at 
Kimberley      ........ 

In  the  Rock  Shaft  of  the  De  Beers  Diamond  Mine  at  a 
depth  of  900  feet 

In  the  800  feet  level  of  the  De  Beers  Diamond  Mine 
Sorting  Gravel  for  Diamonds  at  Kimberley     . 
General  View  of  the  Robinson  Gold  Mines  at  Johannes- 
burg      ......... 

Sir  Frederick  Carrington  and  Officers  of  the  Bechuana- 
land  Border  Police,  and  British  South  African 
Company's  Police  ...... 

Lord  Randolph  discussing  his  route  with  Sir  F.  Carring 
ton  at  Fort  Tuli      ...... 

The  long  and  the  short  of  it  . 
Camp  Life  at  Tuli — Branding  Cattle 

Fording  a  River 

The  Main  Column  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Lotsan 
The  Camp  of  the  Main  Column  at  Suchi  River 

The  Waggon  Conductor   sports  a  new  pair  of  "  store ' 
trousers  ....... 

Our  Camp  on  the  Umzingwani  River 

Typical  Natives  from  the  Umshlane  River  Districts 


20 

29 

37 

40 
43 
44 

CG 

lOG 

111 

iir 

121 
130 
133 
135 

138 
14G 
151 


List  of  Illustrations.  xv 


The  "  Sugar  Loaf  "  Mountain  between  the  liivcrs  Wanetse 
and  Liindi      ....... 


Passages  in  the  Life  of  one  of  our  Boys — In  the  Pantry 

A  "  Yeldt  "  Fire 

One  of  our  Boys  (as  lie  appeared  with  all  his  honsehold 
goods)   

One  of  our  Boys  (in  sackcloth,  drawing  water) 

The  Camp  before  Fort  Charter        .... 

Summer   Sleighing   in   Mashonaland   on  the    high   road 
during  the  rainy  season  ..... 

Native  Paintings  on  Eocks  at  Matefi's  Kraal . 

Mr.  Perkins,  the  Mining  Expert,  on  the  War-path  . 

Visit  to  the  Mazoe  Gold-fields — Experts  at  work     . 

The  Mining  Settlement  at  Hartley  Hill . 

At  Hartley  Hill — Panning  for  (toM  at  Mr.  Borrow's  hut     272 

Messrs.  Johnson,  Heaney,  and  Bdrrow's  Pianche  at  Fort 
Salisbury        ....... 

A  Restaurant  at  Fort  Salisbury       .... 

The  First  Horse-race  at  Fort  Salisl)ury    . 

A  Party  at  the  mess  table,  after  dinner — Fort  Salisbury 

Tiriki 

As  he  arrived         ....... 

As  he  departed     .  ...... 

The  Outspan  on  the  Tokwe  River  .... 


p\Gi: 


180 
185 

187 


194 
195 
200 

201 
20;-) 
210 
235 
2G4 


283 
285 
288 
293 
303 
304 
305 
307 


Route  Map At  eiid  of  hool- . 


1 


MEN,  MINES,  AND  ANIMALS 
IN  SOUTH  AFRICA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OUTWAED    BOUND. 

Departure  from  Paddiiigtou  Station — Reasons  for  the  journey — 
The  composition  of  the  party — Arrival  at  Dartiuouth — 
The  Grautully  Gadle — Lisbon  :  the  Zoological  Gardens — 
Madeira — Invitation  front  Mr.  Benet-Stanford — A  sub- 
tropical garden — Farewell  to  Madeira — Shoals  of  flying 
fish — From  breakfast  to  bedtime  on  board  ship — Athletic 
sports  at  sea — Fire  ! — Cape  Town. 

A  BRIGHT  morning  towards  the  end  of  April. 
The  eternal  east  Avind  blowing  sharp  and  strong 
serves  to  moderate  the  reo-ret  which  mii>-ht  be  felt 
Ijy  one  leaving  England  for  a  considerable  period. 
In  Paddington  Station,  alongside  the  platform,  is 
drawn  up  the  special  express  for  Dartmouth. 
Every  carriage  appears  to  be  full,  round  each 
compartment  door  large  groups  of  persons,  who 
intend  to  stay  at  home,  wish  farewell  to  those  who 
are  resolved  to  depart,  and  by  their  exuberant 
emotions  obstruct  the  passage  of  the  officials,  of 
the  tardy  traveller,  and  of  heavy  trucks  of 
baggage.  Among  the  passengers  the  male  sex 
largely  predominates,  and  youth  is  stamped  upon 
the   countenances   of  the   majority.     In    such    a, 

B 


2     Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

scene  and  in  such  a  crowd  I  find  myself  an  in- 
terested and  active  participator,  for  I,  with  a  few 
friends,  am  starting  on  a  long  journey  ;  and,  in 
common  with  the  others  in  the  special  train,  my 
destination  is  South  Africa.  It  happened  to  me 
shortly  after  my  return  from  Egypt,  in  February, 
to  meet  Sir  Henry  Loch  and  Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes,  the 
Governor  and  Prime  ]\[inister  of  Cape  Colony,  who 
had  just  arrived  in  England  on  a  sj^ecial  mission 
of  importance  to  the  Home  Government,  Con- 
versation naturally  Avas  mainly  about  South 
Africa,  about  the  territories  of  the  Chartered 
Company,  tlie  goldfields  of  Zambesia,  the  dispute 
with  the  Portuguese.  Sir  Henry  Loch  and  ]\Ii", 
Rhodes  were  kind  enouoh  to  o-iye  me  a  cordial 
invitation  to  ^'isit  the  Ca])C',  and  it  suddenly 
occurred  to  me  that  I  had  I'eally  for  the  moment 
nothing  better  to  do.  Politics  for  the  time 
attracted  me  little.  The  principal  measure  ^  before 
the  House  of  Commons  which  ^vas  being  pressed 
forward  by  the  Government,  and  by  the  party 
to  which  I  belong,'  I  disliked  intensely,  and 
while  I  was  not  prepared  to  take  part  in  any 
opposition  to  the  measure,  for  motives  which 
friends  will  appreciate,  I  was  resolved  to  give 
no  vote  and  say  no  word  in  its  favoui*.  A 
shareholder  in  the  Chartered  Comj^au}^,  and  on 
intimate  terms  with  some  of  the  directors,  my 
attention  had  already  been  turned  to  Mashona- 
land;  I  had  imagined  that  the  exploration  and 
development  of  that  vast  country,  so  wealthy  by 
'  '•  Irish  Laud  Question  Bill." 


Reasons  for  the  Journey.  3 

rumour  iiucl  repute,  was  not  unlikely  to  distin- 
guish the  close  of  the  century.  English  and 
foreign  interests  had  ]jeen  and  were  clashing ; 
spheres  of  influence  for  respective  European 
Powers  had  been  marked  oif  in  a  hap-hazard  and 
lighthearted  manner ;  knowledge  of  the  soil,  of 
the  climate,  of  the  inhabitants,  of  the  resources  of 
Africa  to  the  south  of  the  Equator,  was  slight  and 
by  no  means  diffused  among  our  people  at  home  ; 
I  thought  that  the  day  might  not  be  distant  when 
it  might  be  useful  and  beneficial  that  a  member  of 
Parliament  might  be  able  to  offer  to  the  House  of 
Commons  observations,  oj)inions,  and  arguments 
based  ujDon  personal  ius^Dection,  actual  experience 
of  those  localities,  and  to  place  before  the  public 
the  views  and  desires  of  Ca^De  Colonists  of  authority 
and  of  Afrikanders  generally  which  might  have 
been  personally  confided  to  him.  The  attractions 
of  travel,  of  the  chase,  and  specially  of  seeking  for 
gold  oneself,  of  acquiring  gold  mines  or  shares  in 
gold  mines,  contributed  also  to  decide  me  on  the 
enterprise,  and  the  few  weeks  before  departure  had 
been  well  occupied  "wdth  the  somewhat  elaborate 
preparations  necessary  for  the  journey  and  with 
business  arrangements  with  fiiends  who  were 
similarly  interested  and  attracted. 

In  the  comj^osition  of  my  party  I  was  fortunate. 
Major  George  Giles,  late  of  the  Royal  Artillery,  of 
considerable  South  African  exj^erience,  who  had 
seen  much  military  service  in  that  country,  had 
undertaken  to  act  as  managei'  of  the  travelling  and 
director  of  the  route,   and  had  preceded  me  by 

B  2 


4     Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

nearly  a  month  to  the  Cape,  intending  to  purchase 
at    Kimbei'ley   the    waggons,    mules,    oxen,    and 
horses,  to  engage  the  men  necessary  for  such  an 
expedition.     To  travel   in  ox    or   mule  waggons 
without  greater  discomfort  and  hardship  than  is 
incidental    to    camp    life,    a    thousand    miles   to 
Mashonaland,    several    hundred    miles    exploring 
that    country,   a  thousand  miles   return   journey, 
occupying  in  the  operation  a  jDeriod  of  not  less 
than  six  months,  requires    a    careful   and    costly 
collection  of  resources  and  plant,  of  which  I  will 
give  a  full  descrijDtion  in  a  subsequent  letter ;  to 
avoid  undue   delay  while  the   season  was  favour- 
able. Major  Giles  had  gone  on  ahead  of  me  to  the 
Cape.     ]My  actual   travelling    companions  at    the 
moment  of  departure  wei'e   Captain  G.  Williams, 
late  of  the  Royal  Horse  Guards,  who  had  amiably 
consented   to   assist  me  in   my  business  and  my 
writing,  Mr.  Henry  Cleveland  Perkins,  an  American 
mining  engineer  of  great  eminence,  and  Surgeon 
Hugh  Rayner,  of  the  Grenadier  Guards,  on  leave, 
Avho  intended  to  co-operate  with  the  finest  climate 
in  the  world  in  keeping  us  in  good  health,  and  to 
mitigate,  so  far  as  science  might,  the  consequences 
of  any  accident  or  disaster  which  an  untoward  fate 
might  inflict  upon  us.     He  was  also  instructed  by 
the  militai-y  authorities  to   furnish  them  Avith   a 
report  on  the  climatic  and  hygienic  conditions  of 
Mashonaland,  to  discover  and  specify  healthy  sites 
for  camps,  and  to  collect  such  other  information 
as  would  be  useful  to  j^ossess  beforehand,  should 
military  operations  ever  become  necessary  in  that 
country. 


THE    R.XI.S.    "GRAXTULLY    CASTLE,"    3489   TONS,    IN    DARTMOUTH   HARBOUR. 

Page  5. 


The  "Grantully  Castle." 


To  return  to  our  departure  :  the  last  good-byes 
have  been  uttered,  the   doors  of  the  carriages  are 
slammed,  the  whistle  sounds,  and  off  we  go,  soon 
developing   that   alarming   broad-gauge    rapidity 
for   which  the    Great    "Western  was   remarkable, 
dashing  through  Berkshire,  Wiltshire,  and  Somer- 
setshn-e    with    a    haste,    a    hurry   which    seemed 
quite  unnecessary  considering  the  immense  distance 
of  travel  which  lay  before  us,  and  the  considerable 
period  of  time  which  Ave   had  to  do  it  in.     Dart- 
mouth, so  familiar  to  the  }'achtsman,  is  reached  all 
too  soon.     There   lies  the  Gninfulhj   (JastJe,  well 
known  to  fame  as  the  ship  in  which  ]\Ir.  Gladstone 
sailed  when  he  made   his    celebrated  "perij)lus" 
round  Great  Britain.     A  good-looking  ship,  sitting 
gracefully  on  the  Avater,   Ijut    small    to    my  eye, 
more  accustomed  to  the  giants  of  the  P.  and  0.,  of 
the  Cunard,  and  of  the  White  Star  Lines,  in  AA'hich, 
Avhen    I   liaA'e    on    former    occasions    crossed    the 
ocean,  it  has  l^een  my  fortune  to  travel.     But  the 
Aveather  appears  to  be  set  fair,  the  sun  is  bright 
and  Avarm,  the   sea  smooth,  and  in  tine   Aveather 
and  calm  AA^ater  a  little  ship  does  as  Avell  as  a  big 
one.     Soon   recede,    from    many    a   longing    and 
lingering    eye    on   board,    the    beautiful  harbour, 
the    green    DcA-onshire    cliffs,    and    a    calm    and 
moonlit  midnio-ht  sees  us  well  off  Usliant.     The 
CrrcnttiiJly  Castle  found  the  Bay    of  Biscay    in    a 
humour    of    comparative    moderation ;    not   that 
it  was  by  any  means  amiable  or  attractive,  on  the 
contrary,   it   quite   sustained  its  morose   and  un- 
genial  character.     The  captain,  indeed,  expressed 
the  opinion  that  it  Avas  as  smooth  as  a  mill-pond, 


6     Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

but  most  of  tlie  passengers  thouglit  this  descrip- 
tion extravagant,  many  of  them  ver}^  practically 
disagreed  with  it.  Fifty-eight  hours  after  leaving 
London  we  anchored  in  the  Tagns,  opposite 
Lisbon,  at  the  early  hour  of  four  a.m.  Having  to 
wait  until  five  in  the  afternoon  for  the  London 
mail,  we  took  advantage  of  the  ojDportunity  to 
visit  an  ancient  and  historic  city.  The  jDrincipal 
attraction  to  the  eye  was  its  cleanliness ;  broad, 
well-paved,  clean-swept  streets,  spacious  squares, 
adorned  with  interesting  monuments,  an  environ- 
ment of  forest  and  green  hills,  offer  an  aspect 
calculated  at  first  to  please  the  stranger.  But  a 
something  or  other,  difiicult  to  describe,  warns  one 
instinctively  that  Lisbon  is  a  city  the  fame  and 
traditions  of  which  lie  exclusively  in  the  past,  in 
all  probability  never  to  be  revived.  The  inhal3i- 
tants  wear  a  sleepy,  almost  a  dead-alive  kind  of 
look.  I  did  not  observe  a  single  Portuguese  in 
the  streets  who  appeared  to  be  in  the  smallest 
hurry.  Xo  cheerfulness  animates  their  counten- 
ances, as  is  the  case  with  the  population  of  the 
southern  Italian  towns.  With  the  exception  of  a 
few  public  buildings,  the  edifices  and  dwelling- 
houses  are  of  a  poor  and  unpretentious  character. 
There  is  a  total  alDsence  of  attractive  and  well-filled 
shops.  Coming  away,  one  feels  that  one  is  glad  to 
have  seen  Lisbon,  for  the  reason  tliat  it  ^^'ill  be 
unnecessary  ever  to  go  there  again.  ^V  drive 
throuo-li  the  streets  terminated  with  a  visit  to  the 
Zoological  Gardens,  interesting  for  the  quantity  of 
wild  and  of  garden  flowers,  presenting  tlie  most 


Lisbon  and  Madeira. 


brilliant  hues,  and  for  a  singularly  unique  collec- 
tion of  monkeys,  among  wliicli  three  intelligent 
and  engaging  chimpanzees  for  a  time  arrested  our 
attenti(^n.  I  would  strongly  recommend  any 
traveller  to  Lisbon  not  to  omit  to  inspect  these 
gardens.  It  must,  however,  be  added  that  the 
peo23le  of  the  city  scarcely  appreciate  their  merits, 
for  the  place,  during  our  visit  of  more  than  an 
hour,  was  totally  deserted.  The  Botanical  Gardens, 
a  visit  to  which  want  of  time  compelled  us  to 
forego,  are  also  said  to  be  of  considerable  excel- 
lence. 

The  afternoon  drawing  on,  it  became  necessary 
to  return  to  the  sliij^,  and  on  the  arrival  of  the 
London  mail,  we  again  put  to  sea,  shaping  our 
course  for  Madeira.  A  strono-  head  wind  and  sea 
encountering  us  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus,  sadly 
thinned  the  attendance  at  dinner.  The  night  was 
rough,  and  the  following  day  supremely  disagree- 
able. A  dri\'ing  mist,  a  warm,  clammy  wind,  and 
a  heavy  rolling  sea  depressed  the  spirits,  and  made 
all  long  for  more  southern  latitudes.  At  da-wn  on 
the  second  day  after  leaving  Lisl3on  the  island  of 
Terra  Santa  stood  out  finely  on  the  starboard  bow. 
A  few  hours'  steamino-  brouuiit  into  clear  view  the 
bold  outlines  and  grassv  slopes  of  Madeira,  and  the 
sunny  bay  of  Funchal.  I  was  fortunate  in  find- 
ing, on  arrival  here,  a  note  from  an  old  friend, 
Mr.  Benett-Stanford,  who  owns  perhaps  the  most 
beautiful  villa  in  the  island,  inviting  my  friends 
and    myself  to  pass  the  morning  with  him.     On 


landino-    a  sliodit  ascent  lirou^iit  us  to  the  doors 


8      Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

of  the  Quinta  Yigia  (Angiice :  The  house  and 
garden  of  the  "watch-tower)  and  to  one  of  the 
most  lo^'ely  gardens  I  ha\'e  ever  set  eyes  on. 
Imagine  the  contents  of  tlie  conservatories  and 
greenhouses  of  Tring  Park,  of  Waddesdon,  of 
Blenheim,  Chatsworth,  or  Floors  castle,  all  con- 
centrated into  a  small  space  of  some  two  aci-es, 
and  groAving  with  apparent  wildness  in  the  open 
air.  For  accumulated  varietv  and  jn'ofusion  of 
bloom,  fragrance,  and  luxuriant  foliage,  dra"\vn 
from  every  quarter  of  the  Avorld,  this  garden  can 
have  no  yWh],  and  I  have  seen  many,  at  home  and 
in  foreign  countries.  The  gateway  is  sheltered 
by  two  remarkable  camphor-trees,  the  leaves 
of  "which,  when  crushed  in  the  hand,  give  off 
an  aromatic  and  spicy  perfume.  On  the  terrace, 
overlooking  the  sea,  one  perceives,  on  the  right 
hand,  an  immense  mass  of  l)lue  blossom,  borne 
by  the  "  Jacaranda.*'  On  the  left  a  similar 
mass  of  deep  crimscfti  blossom  draAvs  attention 
to  a  splendid  "  Schotia."  Tavo  large  trees,  bv 
name  "  Grevillia,"  coAcred  with  yelloAv  flowers, 
offer  a  stsu'tlino;  but  aiiTeeal)le  contrast,  ^[anv 
tine  specimens  of  the  "  dragon-tree "  and  of 
the  "  umbrella -palm  '  are  studded  about  the 
ground.  The  "  Strelitzia  regin^e,"  apparently  a 
sort  of  banana,  is  imposing  from  its  size  and  its 
feathering  leaves.  The  "  peacock-tree  '"  (Poinciana 
pulcherrima),  with  its  lovely  blossom,  attracts  the 
hand  of  the  wanton  flower-gatherer,  and  the  eye 
is  in  reality  dazzled  by  the  extraordinary,  but  not 
inharmonious  profusion  of  the   "  rose-apple  ""   tree, 


I 


A  SuB-TRoncAL  Garden  in  Madeira.         9 

cinnamon,  silver  banana,  and  mango  tree,  of  the 
"  Olea  fragrans "  and  Francisia  buslies,  of  the 
quaint  "  bottle-brush "  plant,  ^vith  its  crimson 
flower.  The  verandah  ol'  the  villa  is  covered  with 
"  Bougainvillia,"  and  with  another  creeper,  novel 
to  me,  the  ''  Com1)retimi  coccinium,"  oflering  a 
mass  of  scarlet  bloom.  For  the  purpose  of  strolling 
through  the  town,  our  kind  host  provided  a  couple 
of  hammocks,  with  their  attendant  bearers  in  white 
canvas  clothing,  and  a  ''  caro,"  or  covered  sledge, 
comfortably  titted,  drawn  by  Ijullocks.  This 
^'ehicle,  which  I  imagine  is  peculiar  to  Madeira, 
can  he  drawn  l^y  the  sleek  oxen  with  considerable 
speed  and  perfect  smoothness  oxer  the  well-paved 
streets,  or  rather  paths,  which  intersect  the  town 
and  ascend  the  mountains.  The  public  gardens, 
the  opera  house,  a  visit  to  the  British  Consul,  to 
Messrs.  Bland\''s  ^\'ell-known  office,  and  to  the 
comfortable  English  club,  exhaust  the  small  time 
at  our  disposal,  and  soon  after  noon  we  are  once 
more  on  board  the  Grantnlly  Gasfle,  heading- 
south  to  Cape  de  A'^erde,  leaving  hist,  but  some- 
Avhat  reluctantly,  Madeira  behind  us. 

The  hour  of  5"30  a.m.  finds  two  or  three  pas- 
sengers on  deck  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  a  cup  of 
coffee  and  the  first  morning  cigarette.  From  six 
to  eight  the  ship's  toilette  proceeds,  from  the  rough- 
and-ready  washing  and  scrubbing  of  decks  to  the 
conscientious  and  minute  polishing  of  every  bit  of 
wood  and  brass-work.  This  is,  perhaps,  the 
pleasantest  time  of  the  day  ;  cool,  fresh  air,  peace- 
ful decks  unobstructed  bv  chairs  ;  walking  exercise 


lo    Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


is  possible  and  pleasant,  no  noise  disturbs  the  cur- 
rent of  your  morning  reflections.  Cloudless  is  the 
sky,  strong  the  following  "  N.E.  trade,"  covering 
the  surface  of  the  sea  with  white  horses,  but  not 
strong  enough  to  overtake  and  refresh  the  fast- 
flying  ship,  whose  j^assengers  are  warned  by  the 
already  glowing  sun  that  the  day  is  going  to  be  a 
"  pipci'.'  Looking  over  the  stern  you  see  the  same 
troop  of  swifts  or  swallows  which  for  three  days 
now  have  followed  us.  Swoo]Ding,  hovering, 
skimming,  darting,  never  left  behind,  seemingly 
never  progressing,  never  resting ;  where  they  come 
from,  where  they  are  going  to,  where  they  sleep, 
and  what  they  feed  on  offers  a  proljlem  which 
natural  history  has  not  yet  attempted  to  solve. 
From  time  to  time  shoals  of  flying  fish  shoot  from  the 
waves,  nor  can  one  imagine  a  more  pleasant  sight 
than  these  animated  particles  of  silver  present, 
jumping  from  and  skimming  along  the  surface  of 
the  water  by  scores  and  hundreds,  gleaming  and 
glistening  in  the  sunlight.  Last  evening,  one, 
probably  a  "  loose  fish,"  when  all  his  fellows  had 
gone  to  bed,  jumped  with  a  mighty  leap  right  on 
to  our  deck.  Promptly  secured  by  a  quarter- 
master, it  attracted  the  observation  of  a  French 
gentleman,  who  desired  to  photograph  it,  have  it 
stuffed,  and  carry  it  home  to  his  family  museum. 
But  my  friend  and  I  disappointed  him,  taking  it 
and  o-ivino;  it  to  the  cook,  and  eatins"  for  breakfast 
the  finny  fowl.  ]\Iorning  wears  away,  groups  of 
gentlemen  have  appeared  and  disappeared,  clothed 
in  that  loose  and  liglit  attire,  ^viih  sponge,  towel, 


From  Breakfast  to  Bedtime.  n 


and  soap,  which  denotes  resort  to  or  accomplishment 
of  the  matutinal  batli.  Breakfast  is  over,  and  by 
noon  most  of  the  partv  are  deej)  in  literary  occupa- 
tion, writing  and  reading  apparently  being  suitable 
only  to  this  time  of  day.  A  temperature  of  75  deg. 
under  the  awning  is  adverse  to  muscular  exercise. 
Now  come  round  the  manao;ers  of  the  dailv  lotterN' 
on  the  ship's  run,  drawing  variously  from  tlic 
passengers  shillings  and  cro^vns  ;  some  contenting 
themselves  with  a  sinoie  lot,  others  basino-  tlieii' 
hopes  on  securing  many  chances.  At  12*30  the 
captain  announces  that  in  the  preceding  twenty- 
four  hours  we  have  compassed  the  respectable 
distance  of  328  miles.  The  winner  of  the  lucky 
number  looks  happy  in  his  clever  superiority,  but 
can  scarcely  be  much  richer,  for  etiquette  pre- 
scribes that  he  should  generously  proffer  cham- 
pagne to  the  losers.  Luncheon  at  an  end,  the 
passenger  mind  turns  to  amusement.  The  young 
find  relief  in  the  violent  exercise  of  deck- 
cricket,  and  in  the  wild  mirth  occasioned  when 
some  placid,  reposing,  and  digesting  person  receives 
the  ball  full  in  his  face,  an  incident  which  he  is 
expected  to  bear  with  perfect  equanimity,  neither 
asking  for,  nor  expecting  the  smallest  apology. 
Deck-quoits,  and  the  sonorous  game  of  "  Bull," 
claim  their  adherents ;  for  others,  the  frivolous 
"  Halma,"  the  rattling  backgammon,  or  the  severely 
serious  chess  have  their  charms,  and  here  and  there 
vice  betrays  itself  in  the  shape  of  cards,  with  its 
usual  accompaniments  of  brandy  and  soda,  beer, 
pipes,   and   cigars,   while   ever   and   anon   a  half- 


12    Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

suppressed  "  damu,"  or  a  less  suppressed  exclama- 
tion of  triumpli,  discloses  the  vicissitudes  of  the 
game.  So  the  afternoon  blends  itself  into  the 
evenino-.  At  half-past  six  the  bell  for  dinner 
sounds,  after  whicli,  music  in  the  saloon  detains 
many.  "  Gentlemen  oblige "  the  company  with 
sono;s  and  recitations,  the  French  o;entleman  dis- 
plays  a  startling  ingenuity  in  card  conjuring.  On 
deck,  soothed  by  tobacco,  many  groups  converse. 
The  talk  is  prol^ably  of  Africa  and  Mashonaland, 
of  diamond  mines  and  of  the  "  Randt,"  of  the  depth 
and  thickness  of  reefs,  of  tlie  yield  of  so  many 
pennyweights  to  the  ton,  of"  pay  chutes,"  of  stamj)s, 
crushers,  and  chlorination,  till  the  disappearance 
one  b}'  one  of  the  electric  lights  warns  us  that  the 
nio'ht  is  well  on,  and  we  turn  into  our  cabins  to 
dream  of  re-discovering  El  Dorado,  of  revelling  in 
the  "  jDlacers  "  of  another  California,  of  handling 
deliriously  the  nuii'o'ets  of  a  second  Ballarat.  On 
waking  Ave  trust  that  we  have  not  dreamed  of  a 
Golden  Fleece.     So  the  voyage  proceeds. 

One  of  our  days  at  sea  was  agreeably  passed  bv 
holding  athletic  sports  and  contests,  in  which  all 
classes  of  tlie  passengers  took  part.  Racing,  leap- 
ing, and  cock-hghting  were  the  principal  features. 
Four  times  round  the  ship  from  stern  to  bow  was 
found  to  aftord  a  good  half-mile  course,  and  the 
struggle  was  decided  after  several  heats,  some  of 
them  of  an  exciting  character.  The  prize  for  leap- 
ing was  long  and  closely  contested,  four  feet  seven 
being  at  length  triumphanth'  cleared  l3y  the  victor. 
Taking  into  account  the  perceptible  rolling  of  the 


I 


Athletic  Sports  at  Sea. 


sliip,  the  achievement  appears  to  have  been  one  of 
merit.     Cock-hghtiug,  also,  was  the  source  of  con- 
siderable amusement,  and,  to  the  astonishment  and 
delight  of  all,    the  prize  was   carried  oif  liy  the 
smallest    and    youngest    of    the    com23etitors.     A 
potato  race,  an  eg<^  and  spoon  race,  in  Avhicli  ladies 
only  took  part,  an  obstacle  race,  in  which  last  sus- 
I^ended  lifebuoys  to   l)e   darted  through  and  long 
Avind  sails  to  be  crept  through  tested  severely  the 
agility  and  endurance  of  the  runners,  occupied  fully 
the    morning    and  the   afternoon.     A  respectable 
fund  for  prizes  had  been  previouslv  collected,   the 
ju'oceedings  were  managed  with  the   utmost  order 
and  method,  the  decisions  of  the   oflBcials  received 
without  a  murmur.     In  the  tug-of-"\var  tlic  hi'st 
class  OA'erpuUed  the  second,  who  also  suffered   de- 
feat at    the  hands   of  the    third-class  passengers. 
It  appears  that  these  athletic  sports  are  a  regulai* 
institution  on  board  the  Grantidhj  Castle,  and  this 
original    and    agreeable    method  of  breaking  the 
monotony  of  a  long  voyage  offers   an   example   to 
commanders  of  ocean-o'oinix  vessels  which  cannot 
be  too  widelv  imitated.     The   day  antecedent  to 
our    arrival   at    Cape   ToAvn   was    the    most   dis- 
agreeable  of  the   voyage.      A    high   and    heavy 
rolling    sea    rendered    sleep    by   night  or    occu- 
pation Ijy  da)^  alike   almost  impossible.     Shortly 
after    luncheon    an   incident    occurred   which  for 
some  moments  must  have  fluttered  the  strongest 
nerves.     A  strong  smell  of  burning,  smoke  coming 
up  thickly  from  the  after  skylight,  passengers  run- 
ning up  from  below,  driven  out  of  their  cabins  by 


14    Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

the  stifling  smoke,  told  us  all  too  plainly  that  a  fire 
had  broken  out  on  board  shij).     The  fire-bell  was 
rung,  the  officers  and  crew  were  beat  to  quarters, 
the  hose  was  fitted,  and  in  a  few  minutes  gallons 
of  water  were  being  poured  through  the  skylight 
down  into  the  after-hold,  where  it  was  discovered 
the   fire  had  occurred.     At  the  same  time  rapid 
preparations  were  made  for  getting  the  boats  ready 
for  lowerinii',  thouoii  whether    these  would  have 
been  of  much  service  to  us,  had  we  had  to  have 
recourse  to  them  in  such  a  heavy  sea,  was  a  matter 
of  serious  doubt.     In  a  quarter  of  an  hoiu',  how- 
ever, or  twent}'  minutes,  all  danger  was  over.     The 
officers  and  creAV  worked  with  the  utmost  steadi- 
ness  and  resolution,  the  first   officer  particularly 
showing  extreme  courage  and  endurance,  being  the 
first   to  descend    into  the  burning  hold,  and  re- 
maining in  an  almost  impossible  atmosphere  for  a 
considerable  time  directing  the  ajDplication   of  the 
water.     The  j^assengers  preserved  their  composure 
remaikably,  contenting  themselves  with  getting  out 
of  the  way,  and  ottering  as  little  impediment  as 
possible  to  the  operations  of  the  ship's  company. 
The  cause  of  the  fire  was  not  discovered  to  a  cer- 
tainty. In  the  after-hold  were  scattered  a  variety  of 
ship's  stores,  a  quantity  of  empty  bottles,  heaps  of 
straw  and  shavings,  the  contents  of  opened  packing- 
cases.    It  was  ventilated  by  a  grating  into  the  cabin 
passage,  and  tlie  captain  supposed,  probably  with 
justice,  that  some  reckless  and  wanton  passenger, 
lighting  a  cigar  below  in  violation  of  rigid  rules,  had 
ignorantly  and  carelessly  thrown  a^vay  the  match 


Arrival  at  Cape  Town.  15 

still  lighted,  allowing  it  to  fall  on  this  mass  of  inHam- 
mable  material.  The  mail-room  adjoins  the  after- 
hold,  and  the  mails  must  have  had  a  narrow  escape  ; 
^vliile  the  hold  immediately  forward  contained 
large  stores  of  spirits.  Had  these  been  ignited  the 
consequences  would  probably  have  been  most 
serious.  Some  inches  of  water  on  the  cabin  floors, 
and  a  strong  smell  of  smoke,  of  charred  straw  and 
wood,  served  for  some  hours  to  remind  the  pas- 
sengers how  near  they  had  been  to  a  very  un- 
pleasant termination  of  their  voyage.  The  morn- 
ing of  the  14tli  of  May  broke  gloomily,  with  heavy 
rain  and  driving  mist.  About  nine  o'clock 
a  bright  clearance  to  the  southAvarcl  disclosed 
the  heights  of  Table  Mountain.  As  we  drew 
nearer  the  weather  became  brighter,  the  clouds 
broke:  when  ofl:'  the  breakwater  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  was  welcoming  us  with  its  sunniest 
smile.  The  approach  from  the  sea  to  Cape  Town 
is  imposing  and  attractive.  The  lofty  granite  mass 
of  Table  Mountain,  the  distant  ranges  of  hills 
stretching  over  half  the  horizon,  and  the  calm 
waters  of  Table  Bay  brought  into  the  mind  succes- 
sively Gibraltar,  the  Riviera,  and  the  Bay  of 
Palermo,  while  the  attractions  of  the  spot  were 
strengthened  by  the  feeling  that  a  long,  tedious, 
and  monotonous  voyage  had  at  length  been  accom- 
plished. It  may  be  a  matter  of  question  whether, 
under  present  conditions,  a  voyage  to  South  Africa 
is  as  beneficial  to  invalids  or  to  persons  of  delicate 
health,  and  liable  to  sea-sickness,  as  is  generally 
supposed.     The  excessive  heat  in  the  regions   of 


i6    Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa, 

the  equator  debilitates  and  exhausts ;  scarcely  a 
day  of  the  voyage  was  not  marked  by  considerable 
rolling  or  pitching,  and  the  imperfect  ventilation, 
the  inferior  food,  and  the  want  of  power  and  speed 
in  the  older  Cape  vessels  lead  one  to  hope  that 
before  loni>'  an  increasino-  volume  of  passeno'er 
traffic  may  com2:)el  the  construction  of  larger,  better 
found,  and  swifter  ships,  ri\'alling  in  their  excellence 
the  racers  of  the  Xorth  Atlantic  lines.  I  imagine 
that  a  vessel  like  the  Teutonic  could  cover  the  dis- 
tance between  Plymouth  and  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  in  less  than  fourteen  days.  The  Graiittdh/ 
Cadle  occupied  a  period  of  nineteen  days  and  nine- 
teen hours.  On  landing,  I  repaired  to  Govern- 
ment House,  to  which  I  liad  received  a  gracious 
invitation. 


Cape  Town,  17 


CHAPTER  11. 

CAPE    COLONY. 

Scenery  and  climate  of  Cape  Town — Public  Buildings — The 
Government  House,  Xatural  History  Museum,  and  Public 
Library — Adderley  Street — The  sea  prospect  from  C;ipe 
Town — Eivalry  of  Port  Elizabeth — The  inhabitants  and 
environs  of  Cape  Town — Dutch  and  English  in  the 
colony— Mr.  Cecil  Ehodes— The  Transvaal  War  of  1881— 
Majuba  Hill — Capo  Politics — The  South  African  States — 
Cape  Town  as  a  Coaling  Station — Defences  of  the  Cape — 
Forts  at  Simon's  Bay — Fort  Wynyard — General  Cameron 
and  the  Cape  Town  Garrison. 

Hie  terrarum  mihi  praeter  omnes 
Angulua  ridet,  ubi  non  Hymetto 
Mella  decedunt  viridique  certat 

Bacca  Venafro  ; 
Yer  ubi  longum  tepidasque  prsebet 
Jupiter  brumas,  et  amicus  Anion 
Fertili  Eaccho  nimium  Falernis 

Invidet  uvis. 

Foe  beauty  of  scenery  and  general  excellence  of 
climate  Cape  Town  approaches  perfection.  In- 
habited by  some  50,000  souls,  it  reposes  at  the 
foot  of  the  great  Table  Mountain,  sheltered  though 
not  oppressed  by  towering  and  precipitous  granite 
masses.  Possessing  and  proud  of  a  history  going- 
back  over  a  period  of  upwards  of  250  years,  the 
town  itself  shows  few  if  any  signs  of  antiquity. 
The  traveller  might  often  imagine  from  its  strag- 
gling   and   unfinished    appearance    that    he    had 

c 


i8  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


arrived  at  one   of  those   sudden    settlements,  the 
creation  of    a    few  months    or  weeks,  which   are 
characteristic  of  an  American  territory  or  of  the 
Australian  Inish.     Public  buildings  of  high  archi- 
tectural   merit    are    scarce  ;    indeed,    the    Houses 
of  Parliament    and  the    Standard    Bank   may  ])e 
said  to  be  the    only   edifices    entirely    Avorthy   of 
the  traditions    and  position   of    the    town.      The 
ohl    Town    House,    the    old    Castle,    vi^ddly    and 
agreeably   recall    the    Dutchman    of    the    seven- 
teenth   century,    relics    of    an    interesting    past, 
testimonies  of  a  famous  history,  which  should  be 
tenderly  preserved.     His  Excellency   the    Govern' 
nor  is  resjiectablv,  but  not  splendidly,  accommo- 
dated.    A  long,   low  building,  hidden  away  in  a 
corner  of  ugly  elevation  but  of  roomy  and  commo- 
dious   interior,    containing   spacious    apartments, 
uneasily  supports  the   dignified  title  of  "  Govern- 
ment House."     A  garden  of  considerable  extent, 
well  filled  Avith  shady   oak-trees    and  many  fine 
specimens  of  tropical  plants,  makes  up   largely  for 
the    architectural    shortcomings    of    the    edifice. 
Adjoining  are  to  be  found  the  Botanical  Gardens, 
the   Natural    History    ]\[useum,    and   the    Public 
Library.      All   of    these    institutions   apparently 
suifer  from  a  want  of  liberal  maintenance,  Avhich 
is  the  more  to  l)e  regretted  as  their  contents  are  for 
the  most  part  excellent  and  rare.     The  Natural 
History  ^luseum  possesses  a  very  perfect  collection 
of  African  fauna,  mainly  contributed  by  the  famous 
liunter,  Mr.  Selous,  of  birds,  and  of  mineralogical 
and  conchological  specimens  of  great  interest ;  but 


I 


I 


PuBLTC  Buildings.  19 


all  these  objects  of  study  are  so  crowded  and  so 
crammed  up  together,  and  stowed  away  in  cases 
so  insufficiently  lighted,  that  detailed  and  careful 
ins^Dection  of  them  is  a  matter  of  extreme  difficulty. 
Both  this  museum  and  the  Public  Library,  which 
latter  is  a  fine  hall,  containing  a  large  and  varied 
collection  of  l^ooks  and  many  ancient  manuscripts, 
are  freely  and  fren^uently  resorted  to  by  the  in- 
habitants. Adderley  Street  in  the  morning  is 
crowded  and  animated  ;  many  of  its  buildings 
liave  striven  to  attain  to  a  respectable  standard  of 
civic  architecture,  and  well-filled  shops  elegantly 
display  a  variety  of  articles  of  luxury,  whicli 
suggest  the  difi'usion  of  an  easy  affluence.  The 
sea  prospect  from  Cape  Town  is  most  agree- 
able. A  lengthy  l)reakwater,  constructed  with 
great  solidity,  protects  an  anchorage  where  many 
vessels  of  size  might  congregate.  The  docks, 
whicli  were  large  enough  for  the  shipping  require- 
ments of  a  generation  ago,  are  too  small  to  allow  of 
the  entrance  of  large  modern  steamers,  and  it  is 
much  to  be  reo-retted  tliat  the  construction  of  a 
l^ig,  wide  dock  in  the  rear  of  the  existing  docks 
has  been  suspended  owing  to  ^vant  of  fimds. 
Port  Elizabeth,  with  superior  railway  advantages, 
and,  perhaps,  a  more  go-ahead  public  spirit,  is 
pressing  Cape  Town  hard  ;  and  it  is  probable  that, 
if  the  latter  does  not  bestir  itself,  it  may  forfeit  its 
commercial  eminence  in  South  Africa.  But  pos- 
sibly the  charm  of  Cape  Town  lies  in  its  respectable 
repose.  The  inhabitants,  who  welcome  the  stranger 
with  a  cordial  hospitality  rarely  to  be  found  else- 

C.2 


20  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


where,  have  inherited,  jorobably  from  the  Dutcli, 
a  joleasant  conservatism  of  thought  and  of  habitude. 
They  are  not  inclined  to  believe  that  the  bustle  of 
Melbourne  or  the  crowds  of  Sydney  represent  the 
highest  standard  of  social  happiness  ;  they  have  a 
tendency  to  regard  with  some  dou])t  and  anxiety 
the  development  and  progress  which  Cape  Town 
has  undoul3tedly  made  in  the  last  few  years  ;  many 


A  Cape  Cart. 

of  them  view  with  apprehension  and  some  with 
alarm  the  influx  of  a  large  population  which  may 
shortly  be  attracted  by  the  mineral  wealth  of  South 
Africa  already  said  to  be  discovered.  The  late 
Lord  Iddesleigh,  in  one  of  his  political  discourses, 
averred  that  he  had  been  accused  of  being  "  wanting 
in  go,"  but  it  was  felt  by  all  that  the  accusation, 
if  true,  only  exhibited  more  pleasantly  the  general 
amiability  of  his   character.     Similarly  it  is  possi- 


Environs  of  Cape  Town.  21 

Lie  that  the  peojjle  of  Cape  ToAvn  have  a 
tendency  to  a  liability  to  such  an  accusation, 
but  those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  know 
and  understand  them  will  readily  confess  that 
the  defect,  if  it  exists,  may  be  counted  among 
their  attractions  rather  than  among  their  faults. 
The  environs  of  Cape  Town  in  the  direction  of 
Wynberg  are  of  surj^assing  beauty.  Forests, 
groves,  plantations  of  oak,  pine,  eucalyptus,  owing 
their  origin  to  the  provident  forethought  of  the 
early  Dutch  settlers,  thickly  cover  the  ground 
from  the  slopes  of  the  mountain  almost  to  the 
shores  of  the  sea.  Miles  of  shady  lanes,  extending 
in  all  directions,  make  ridin"*  and  drivino'  an  un- 
failing  pleasure,  while  on  every  side  old-fashioned 
villas  and  country-houses,  with  perfect  and  well- 
kept  gardens,  disclose  alike  the  cultivated  taste 
and  the  love  of  country  life  which  characterize 
the  wealthier  portion  of  the  resident  community. 
English  people  afilicted  at  home  by  a  winter  climate 
which  year  after  year  grows  more  intolerable  and 
more  interminable,  fruitlessly,  and  at  great  cost, 
seek  sunshine  and  "^varmth  in  the  south  of  Europe 
amid  unsympathetic  foreigners.  A  three  weeks' 
voyage,  unaccompanied  either  by  hardships  or 
risk,  Avould  bring  them  to  this  lo\'ely  spot,  where, 
among  people  of  their  own  race,  speaking  their  own 
language,  and  thinking  their  own  thoughts,  they 
would  tind  and  enjoy  the  most  temperate  and 
equable  summer  weather,  with  all  the  attractions 
of  sea-side  existence  which  the  earth  can  offer.  ^ 
Socially  a  very  happy  change  has,  in  recent  years, 
been  effected  in  the  Cape  To^vn  community.     The 


'22  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


old  hostility  between  the  English  and  the  Dutch, 
which  at  the  time  of  the  Transvaal  War  had  at- 
tained a  dangerous  height,  seems  to  have  entirely 
passed  away.     The  two  sections  regard  each  other 
with  feelings  of  resj^ect,  friendship,  mutual  trust. 
The  o-enius  of  the  Prime  ]\Iimster,  Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes, 
has  mainly  contriljuted  to  this  auspicious   state  of 
things.     He  has  known  how  to  acquire  and  retain 
the  conhdence  of  the   English  and  of  the   Dutch 
colonist,  he  has  shown  them  in  the  daily  practice 
of  his  Government  that  their  interests  are  entirely 
and  absolutely  common,   and   so  homogeneous   is 
now  this  Cape  coinmimity  that  the   President   of 
the   South  xlfrican   Republic    and   the   Transxaal 
Boers  have  been  plainly  and  eff'ecti\el\'  Avarned  by 
many  Dutchmen  of  authorit}^  and  position  in  Cape 
Colony  that  unfriendl}'  action  on  their  part  against 
the  British  position  in  Zambesia,  and  hostile  action 
by  Boer  "  trekkers,"  against  the  British  Chartered 
South  African  Company,  will  neither  receive  the 
support   nor   enjoy  the  sympathy  of  any  appre- 
ciable section  of  the  Dutch  subjects  of  the  C^ueen. 
The   Cape  Colony  Dutch  sympathized  profoundly 
with  their  countrymen,  who,  in  1881,  Avere  light- 
ing for  their  freedom  ;  but  that  freedom   having 
been  restored  and  guaranteed,  they  are   equally 
ready  to  disapprove  of,  and  e\en  to  resist,  their 
Transvaal  kinsmen  impelled  by  land  hunger  or  by 
sheer  animosity  to  attack  British  possessions  and 
British   subjects   Avithout  reason   or  proAOcation. 
Moreover,   the    Cape    Colony    Dutch  argue  Avith 
much  force  :  '^  AYe  supported  you  Boers  in  your 
struggle  for  liberty,  our  sui)port  saved   you   from 


Majuba  Hill.  23 


British  resentnieiit  ;    in  return  you  have  placed 
prohibitive  duties  oii  our  goods  and  })roductions, 
you  have   oljstiuately  hindered  the  extension  of 
our  I'ailways,  and  you  have  exckided  our  chikh^en 
from  civil  employment  in  your  State.     Whereas 
we  lind  that  this  Imperial  Government  which  you 
so  unreasonably  hate,  whether  in  Bechuanaland  or 
in  the  Chartered  territory,  admits  our  goods  duty 
free,  actively  supports  the  development  of  the  rail- 
way system,  and  invites  our  children  not  only  to 
enter  its  service,  but  to  come  into  and  occupy  the 
lands  under  its  control."     In  justice  it  should  be 
added  that  the  sagacious  policy  of  Mr.  Rhodes  has 
only  been  made  possiljle   by  the  termination  of 
the  Transvaal  War  in  1881,  and  by  the  manner  of 
its  termination.     The  surrender  of  the  Transvaal 
and  the  peace  concluded  by  Mr.  Gladstone  with  the 
victors  of  Majidja  Hill  were   at  the  time,  and  still 
are,  the  object  of  sharp  criticism  and  bitter  de- 
nunciation from  many  politicians  at  home,  qttoruvb 
jKirs  parva  fui.     Better  and  more  precise  informa- 
tion, combined  with  cool  reflection,  leads  me  to 
the  conclusion  that,  had  the   British  Government 
of  that  day  taken  advantage  of  its  strong  military 
position,  and  annihilated,  as   it   could   easily  kave 
done,  tlie  Boer  forces,  it  would  indeed  kave  re- 
gained tke  Transvaal,  but  it  miglit  kave  lost  Cape 
Colony.     Tke  Dutck  sentiment  in  tke  Colony  kad 
been  so  exasperated  by  wkat  it  considered  to  be 
tke  unjust,  faitkless,  and  arbitrar}'  policy  pursued 
towards  tke  free   Dutckmen  of  tke  Transvaal,  by 
Sir  Bartle   Frere,  Sir  Tkeopkilus   Skepstone,  and 
Sir  Owen  Lanyon,  tliat  tke  flnal  triumpk   of  tke 


24  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Britisli  arms  mainly  by  brute  force  would  have 
IDermanently  and  hopelessly  alienated  it  from 
Great  Britain  ;  Parliamentary  government  in  a 
country  where  the  Dutch  control  the  Parliament 
would  have  become  impossible,  and  without  Par- 
liamentary government,  Cape  Colony  would  be 
ungovernable.  The  actual  magnanimity  of  the 
peace  with  the  Boers  concluded  by  Mr.  Gladstone's 
Ministry  after  two  humiliating  military  reverses 
suffered  by  the  arms  under  their  control  became 
plainly  apparent  to  the  just  and  sensible  mind  of 
the  Dutch  Cape  Colonist,  atoned  for  much  of  past 
grievance,  and  demonstrated  the  total  absence  in 
the  English  mind  of  any  hostility  or  unfriendli- 
ness to  the  Dutch  race.  Concord  between  Dutch 
and  English  in  the  colony  from  that  moment 
became  possible,  and  that  concord  the  government 
of  Mr.  Rhodes  inaugurated,  and  has  since  to  all 
appearance  hrmly  riveted.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  peace  thus  concluded  with  the  Transvaal 
carried  with  it  some  grave  disadvantages.  The  re- 
erection  of  the  South  African  Republic  contributed 
another  powerful  factor  to  the  forces  of  disunion 
iu  South  Africa ;  the  Boers  of  the  Transvaal, 
Avanting  altogether  the  common-sense  of  their 
kinsmen  in  the  colony,  have  since  the  war  been 
inflated  with  an  overAveening  pride,  foolishly 
eager  to  seek  quarrels  and  sustain  disputes  with 
the  English  poAver,  and  will  continue,  possibly  for 
generations,  to  be  a  formidable  obstacle  to  either 
political  or  commercial  federation  in  South  Africa. 
Moreover,  the  generosity  of  the  surrender  of  the 


Cape  Politics.  25 


Transvaal  by  the  English  Government  was 
naturally  misunderstood  by,  or  was  not  apparent 
to,  the  mind  of  powerful  native  races.  On  the 
whole,  I  find  myself  free  to  confess,  and  without 
reluctance  to  admit,  that  the  English  escaped  from 
a  wretched  and  discreditable  muddle,  not  without 
harm  and  damage,  but  probably  in  the  best  pos- 
sible manner,  and  that  lessons  have  been  taught 
to  many  parties  by  the  Transvaal  war  which,  if 
learned,  may  be  of  the  utmost  value  in  framing- 
future  policy. 

South  African  politics  are  highly  interesting  at 
the  present  moment.  The  position  of  the  Cape 
Government  is  one  of  apparent  solidity  and  power. 
Against  it,  suj^ported  as  it  is  by  a  preponderating 
majority  in  Parliament,  two  ex-Prime  Ministers, 
in  imperfect  harmony  with  each  other,  and  followed 
by  groups  numerically  insignificant,  with  difficulty 
sustain  the  forms  of  an  Opposition.  Complete 
concord  and  co-operation  exist  between  the  Par- 
liament and  the  Ministers  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
High  Commissioner  on  the  other.  It  is,  indeed, 
well  that  this  should  be  so  now,  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  ao-ricultural  and  mineral  resources  of 
Matabeleland  under  the  protection  of  the  British 
Government,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Chartered  Company,  will  require  for  years  the 
most  skilful,  prudent,  and  courageous  handling. 
That  those  resources  will  before  long  prove  to  be 
of  value  to  the  English  people  does  not  admit  of 
doubt ;  but  their  very  value  excites  the  cupidity, 
not  only  of  the  weak  and  easily-controlled  Boer, 


26  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

and  of  the  weaker  and  still  more  easily-controlled 
[Portuguese,  but  also  of  such  j^owerful  rivals  as 
France  and  Germany ;  any  failure  on  our  part 
ettectively  to  develop  Matabeleland,  to  preserve 
l)eace,  order,  and  security  in  those  ^'ast  regions, 
and  to  combine  in  the  work  the  entire  British 
African  community,  would  result  in  a  loss  Avhicli, 
from  a  national  and  from  a  commercial  point  of  view, 
can  onlv  be  described  as  immeasurable.  But  the 
com]jination  of  the  British  African  community  for 
effective  executive  purposes  is  a  task  which  ma}' 
almost  exhaust  the  resources  of  statesmanship). 
From  the  Zambesi  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  a 
region  occupying  some  two  thousand  miles  of  land 
in  length,  inhabited  by  about  half  a  million  whites 
and  by  over  four  millions  of  natives,  every  form 
of  go\'ernment  known  to  liistory  is  to  be  found  in 
existence  and  at  work  :  in  the  Cape  Colonv  a  re- 
presentative JAirliament  elected  on  the  Avidest 
native  and  European  suffrage,  with  responsible 
Ministers  and  almost  complete  independence  of  the 
Home  Government ;  in  Xatal  a  more  restricted  re- 
presentative body,  with  Ministers  not  directly 
responsible  to  that  Ijody,  a  sort  of  Prussian  ad- 
ministration ;  in  Zululand  the  personal  and  direct 
government  of  the  Governor  of  Natal ;  in  the 
Transvaal  an  independent  republic,  but  mmble  to 
conclude  treaties  with  foreio-n   States  without  the 

o 

approval  of  the  British  Government  ;  with  a  pi-e- 
sident,  executive,  and  two  chambers  elected  by 
Dutch  burghers,  but  with  many  thousands  of 
E  uropean  population  possessing  no  political  rights  ; 


The  South  African  States.  27 


ill  the  Orange  Free  State  another  independent  re- 
public, governed  by  a  j^resident  and  one  chamber, 
elected  by  all  the  citizens  ;  in  Bechuanaland  the 
direct  and  personal  government  of  the  Governor  of 
Cape  Colony,  exercised  through  an  administrator 
under  laws  enacted  by  the  Governor's  proclama- 
tion ;  in  Basutoland  direct  and  personal  govern- 
ment of  the  High  Commissioner,  exercised  through 
an  administrator  under  laws  enacted  by  the  High 
Commissioner's  proclamation,  and  Avith  native 
customs  and  native  laws  administered  by  native 
chiefs  so  far  as  they  may  not  be  inconsistent  with 
English  justice  ;  in  the  Bechuanaland  Protectorate 
the  jjersonal  authority  of  the  High  Commissioner, 
the  native  chiefs  and  territory  j^rotected  by  the 
Bechuanaland  Border  Police  from  external  ag- 
gression, Avdtli  native  hiAvs  administered  by  the 
chiefs  ;  in  Swaziland  a  joint  Government  carried 
oil  by  the  Biitish  and  the  Transvaal  authorities, 
with  an  executive  consisting  of  a  representative  of 
the  Swazi  nation,  of  the  British  Government,  and 
of  the  South  African  Republic,  whose  laws  require 
the  joint  approval  of  the  guaranteeing  Powers  ;  in 
Pondoland  an  independent  native  State,  the 
sea-coast  only  of  which  is  under  the  protection  of 
England  with  a  seaport  on  the  coast  Avliich  is 
actual  British  territoi'y  ;  in  Damaraland  a  German 
territory  under  direct  control  of  the  German  Gov- 
ernment, the  only  seaport  of  which  Ijelongs  to  the 
Cape  Colony  ;  in  Amatongaland  an  indeiDendent 
native  State  go\  eiiied  by  Queen  Zambili  and  her 
councillors,  but  possessing  no  power  to  conclude 


28  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

treaties  with  foreign  States,  excej)t  with  the 
approval  of  the  British  Government ;  while  in 
Matabeleland,  a  territory  as  large  as  France,  in- 
habited by  a  numerous  and  warlike  tribe  of  Zulu 
origin,  the  burden  of  government  has  been 
assumed  by  an  English  Commercial  Corporation 
under  charter  from  the  Crown,  under  the  jurisdic- 
diction  of  the  High  Commissioner,  and  deri^'ing 
administrative  authority  from  the  High  Com- 
missioner acting  on  behalf  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment. The  mere  enumeration  of  these  various 
forms  of  government,  the  mere  setting  out  of  this 
com^Dlicated  and  variegated  congeries  of  powers 
and  authorities  all  mixed  up  almost  inextricably 
together,  will  suffice  to  give  some  idea  of  the 
difficulties  and  embarrassments  which  attend  the 
course  whether  of  a  Secretary  of  State,  of  a  High 
Commissioner,  or  of  a  Cape  Colony  Government 
and  Parliament. 

For  a  British  coaling  station  of  great  import- 
ance Cape  Town  is  fairly  well  fortihed.  By  the 
courtesy  of  General  Cameron,  commanding  the 
forces,  and  of  Colonel  KnoUys,  commanding  the 
Artillery,  I  was  enabled  to  make  a  detailed  ex- 
amination of  the  defences.  I  was  naturally  much 
interested  in  noting  what  had  been  done,  because 
Cape  Town  is  one  of  the  coaling  stations  which 
Lord  Salisbury  accused  me  of  being  desirous,  when 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in  1886,  of  leaving  in 
a  defenceless  condition.  Five  9 •2-inch  breech- 
loading  guns,  with  hydro-pneumatic  moimtings, 
placed  in  positions  selected    Avith  admirable  art, 


Defences  of  the  Cape. 


29 


make  the  approacli  of  a  hostile  fleet  a.  work  of 
great  difficulty  and  danger.  With  these  formid- 
able cannon  are  placed,  more  for  purposes  of 
ornament  than  of  effective  use,  fourteen  or  fifteen 
seven-ton  muzzle-loading  guns.  These  latter  have 
been  discarded  by  the  navy,  and  are  considered  by 
expert  artillerists,  on  account  of  their  muzzle- 
loading  aiTangements,  their  inferior  accuracy,  and 


The  Defences  of  the  Cape — A  9'2  inch  breech-loading'gun. 


small  penetrative  power,  to  be  obsolete.  The 
Home  Government,  however,  considered  them  to 
be  good  enough  for  the  Cape,  and  at  great  expense 
have  sent  out  and  mounted  a  number  of  them  for 
the  defence  of  Table  Bay  and  of  Simon's  Bay.  I 
am  informed  that  for  the  same  money  an  equal 
number  of  the  new  six-inch  breech-loading  gun 
might  have  been  furnished,  in  which  case  the 
defences  of  the  Cape  of  Good   Hope  in  respect  of 


30  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


ordnance  would  have  been  complete/  But  it  is 
ever  so.  Our  War  Office  and  Admiralty  can  never 
be  persuaded  to  make  a  finished  and  perfect  work. 
The  various  detached  forts  in  which  these  guns 
liave  been  placed  have  been  constructed  with  great 
solidity.  The  Cape  Government  supjDlied  the  sites 
and  the  labour  at  a  cost  of  about  G0,000/.  ;  the 
guns  and  mountings  were  furnished  by  the  Home 
Government.  A  9*2-iixcli  breech-loading  gun,  w^ith 
hydro-pneumatic  mounting,  costs  17,000/.  Two 
of  these  guns,  two  9 -inch  muzzle-loaders,  together 
with  several  seven-ton  muzzle-loaders,  command 
and  protect  the  naval  station  at  Simon's  Bay. 
The  forts  at  Simon's  Bay  have  been  so  ingeniously 
concealed  by  the  engineers  that  it  would  be 
difficult  and  perhaps  impossible  for  the  officers  of 
an  approaching  hostile  fleet  to  discover  their  situa- 
tion until  it  had  come  well  within  range.  The 
General  kindly  allowed  the  9  •2-inch  breech-load- 
ing gun  in  Fort  Wynyard  to  have  three  rounds 
fired  from  it  for  my  inspection.  The  projectile 
Aveighs  3801bs.,  and  the  charge  of  powder  is  1661bs. 
The  target,  a  flagstafl"  on  a  barrel,  was  moored  at 
a  distance  out  at  sea  of  2900  yards.  All  three 
shots,  so  excellent  is  the  accuracy  of  the  gun  and 
the  training  of  the  gunners,  passed  Avithin  a  few 
I'eet  of  the  target,  which,  if  it  had  been  an 
enemy's  ship,  would  have  suftered  fatal  damage. 


^  The  facts  set  out  above  were  controverted  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  were  controverted  hy  ]Mr.  Stanhope,  Secretary  of 
State  for  War.  They  are  nevertheless  authentic  and  accu- 
ratelj'-  stated. 


The  Garrison  at  CaPe  Town.  ^i 


The  destructive  rano-e  of  this  cannon  attains 
the  jDrodigious  distance  of  10,000  yards.  The 
garrison  at  Cape  Town  is  ridiculoiisl}'  weak.  It 
consists  of  one  and  a  half  battahons  of  infantry 
and  two  batteries  of  artillery.  The  9*2-incli 
lireech-loading  gun  requires  for  its  handling  seven- 
teen trained  artillerists.  The  garrison  in  its 
present  feeble  state  can  only  furnish  three  men  pei' 
gun.  A  scheme  is  at  present  being  considered  for 
combining  effectively  with  the  Imperial  troops 
the  best  volunteer  forces,  but  nothino-  has  been 
decided  on  in  this  direction,  and  the  jealousy  of 
home  interference  entertained  by  the  Colonial 
Government  may  yet  cause  much  friction  and 
delay.  I  am  informed  that  if  Cape  ToA^n  is  to  l)e 
rendered  at  all  secure  from  hostile  attack,  one 
additional  battalion  of  infantry  and  one  battery 
of  artillery  is  imperatively  required.  General 
Cameron,  speaking  at  the  Mayor's  lunclieon,  as- 
serted that  he  had  only  1300  effective  men  under 
his  command,  whereas  a  garrison  of  at  least  6000 
was  necessary  for  the  adequate  protection  of  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  To  do  full  justice  to  the  War 
Ofhce  I  should  add  that  it  maintains  with  mao-ni- 
ticent  liberality  for  the  duties  of  this  feeble  garrison 
a  staff"  equal  in  numbers  and  importance  to  the 
requirements  of  an  army  of  20,000  men.^  AVith 
the  due  celebration  of  the  Queen's  Birthday  on  the 
25th  Alay,  and  with  the  opening  of  the  Cape  Par- 

-  This  statement  was  also  contradicted  in  the  House  of 
Commons  by  Mr.  Stanhope,  Secretary  of  State  for  War.  It  is^ 
nevertheless,  perfectly  accurate. 


32  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

liament  on  the  following  clay,  at  l^oth  of  which 
interesting  and  imposing  ceremonies  I  was  privi- 
leged to  be  iDresent,  I  brought  to  a  close  a  most 
agreeable  fortnight  passed  at  Cape  To^\ai. 


Jl 


En  Route  for  Kimberley.  33 


CHAPTER  III. 

DIA^rONDS. 

We  leave  Cape  Town — The  Paarl — Worcester  Town — Tlic 
Hex  Kiver  Pass — A  Paddington  man — Arrival  at  Matjes- 
fontein — Mr.  J.  D.  Logan — The  Karroo — Diamond  In- 
dustry at  Kimberley — Visit  to  the  offices  of  the  De  Beers 
Company — ^Nlr.  Cecil  Rhodes  a  pulilic  man  of  the  first 
order — Mr.  Gardner  Williams,  mining  engineer— The  blue 
ground — Separating  the  diamonds — Precautions  against 
Theft — The  De  Beers  Company  a  model  Village  Community 
— Electric  light  used  in  the  diamond  mines. 

The  mail  train  for  Kimberley  leaves  Cape  To's\qi 
in  the  evenino-,  but  the  traveller  will  be  well  advised 
in  doing  the  portion  of  the  journey  as  far  Matjes- 
fontein  by  day.  The  railroad  passes  through 
mountain  scenery  of  exceptional  beauty  and 
variety.  We  left  Cape  Town  in  pouring  rain,  but 
soon  after  our  departure  the  clouds  broke,  and  the 
Sim  shining  out  brightly  upon  the  mist  which 
hung  over  the  tops  of  the  Hottentot  Holland 
Range  produced  a  series  of  rare  and  astonishing- 
rainbow  effects.  About  tliirty  miles  from  Cape 
Town  is  situated  the  Paarl,  an  old  town  of  French 
origin,  which  takes  its  name  from  a  chain  of  large 
granite  boulders,  supi)osed  to  resemble  the  pearls 
of  a  necklace,  Avhich  adorn  the  summit  of  the  hill 
overhanging  the  place.  The  valley  of  the  Paarl  is 
covered  with  vineyards  intersjoersed  here  and  there 

D 


34  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Avith  fertile  pastures  on  which  graze  herds  of  long- 
horned  cattle.  The  sweet  wines  of  the  Paarl  rival 
in  excellence  those  of  Constancia.  The  slopes  of 
the  hills  are  well  wooded,  the  general  aspect  of  the 
valley  is  of  extraordinary  attraction .  R onnd  about 
Wellington,  a  toA\ai  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Paarl,  wo 
find  a  great  corn-growing  country,  while  in  the 
division  of  Worcester,  a  hundred  miles  distant  from 
Cape  Town,  we  come  to  a  district  producing  an 
abundance  of  sheep,  cattle,  horses,  ostriches,  corn, 
dried  fruits,  and  Avines.  The  town  of  Worcester 
has  been  admirably  constructed.  ''  The.  streets  are 
Avell  laid  out  in  parallelogi'ams,  bordered  Avith 
AA^ater-courses  and  eucalyptus  trees.  A  plentiful 
supply  of  Avater,  coiiA'-eyed  from  the  Hex  Kiver  l)y 
an  artificial  canal  six  miles  in  length,  imparts  to 
the  toAvn  an  unusually  verdant  aspect,  the  charm 
of  Avhich  is  enhanced  by  contrast  AA'ith  the  sterile 
appearance  of  the  lofty  and  rugged  mountains 
Avhicli  surround  it.  About  nine  miles  from  A\  oi- 
cester  there  are  hot  springs  Avith  a  temperature  of 
145  deg.,  the  Avater  of  Avhich  is  famed  for  its 
cure  of  Avounds  and  skin  diseases."  ^  Speaking 
generally  of  the  road  between  Cape  Toavu  and 
the  summit  of  the  Hex  River  Pass,  the  moun- 
tain and  Aalley  scenery  is  hardly  to  be  sur- 
passed in  loveliness,  and  the  traveller,  assisted  by 
memory  or  imagination,  may  fancy  himself  noAv  in 
Yorkshire  or  Worcestershire,  noAv  in  the  Hio-hlands 
of  Scotland,  noAv  in  the  A^alleys  of  Provence.  After 
leaving  Worcester,  the  railway  ascends  the  Hex 
'  South  African  Argus  Annual. 


A  Paddixgton  Man. 


River  Pass,  the  summit  of  wliicli  is  some  3000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  road,  which  is  a 
triumph  of  engineering  skill,  has  an  average  gradient 
of  1  in  40,  and  no  fewer  than  seventy-two  curves, 
some  of  them  very  sharp.  To  view  the  magnificent 
mountain  prospect  with  more  advantage  our  party 
was  accommodated  with  scats  on  the  little  platform 
in  front  of  the  engine,  and  the  sensations  of 
travelling  in  this  manner  along  the  verge  of  preci- 
pices of  giddy  depth  and  over  iron  bridges  of  frail 
appearance  were  at  once  novel  and  thrilling.  The 
engine-dri\':er,  who  was  very  affectionate,  confided 
to  me  Avhile  we  Avere  passing  at  respectable  speed 
an  apparently  dangerous  portion  of  the  track,  that 
he  was  a  Paddington  man.  This  is  the  second 
gentleman  occupying  an  ofiicial  position  connected 
with  the  administration  of  the  railroads  of  South 
Africa  who  claimed  Paddington  as  his  birthplace 
and  his  home,  and  who  saluted  with  joy  the 
appearance  of  his  representative  in  Parliament. 

]\Iatjesfontein,  which  we  reached  in  the  evening 
and  where  ws  passed  the  night,  aftbrds  a  remark- 
able example  of  what  can  be  eftected  by  the  energy 
of  the  Englishman.  Mr.  J.  D.  Logan,  who  is  the 
proprietor  of  an  estate  here  of  100,000  acres  in 
extent,  has  settled  himself  down  on  what  appears 
at  first  sight  to  be  the  most  unpromising  spot  for 
a  farmer  which  the  mind  can  imagine.  Here,  in 
the  arid  plain  of  the  Karroo,  producing  nothing 
but  low  scrub  and  scanty  herbage,  he  has  built 
himself  a  large  and  comfortable  house,  a  spacious 
homestead    with  oood  cottas-es  for  his  men,  and 

D    2 


36  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


elevates  with  mucli  success  flocks  of  many  thousands 
of  sheep   and  ]ierds  of  many  lumdreds   of  cattle. 
The  Karroo  is  far  more  liospitable  and  noiu'ishino- 
for  live  stock  than  the  nninstructed  tourist   M^oiild 
inmoiiie.     Tlie  climate  is  })erfect,  the  aii-  iiui^uorat- 
iiio-  hke  thiit  of  Scothind,   and   the   only  som'ce   ol' 
anxiety  to  the  farmer  is  foiiiid   in  the   somcAvhat 
insuthcient  rainfall.     Sport   is  to   ])c   ol)tained  in 
plenty  bv  the  sportsipnii  Avho   docs  not  fear  hard 
v\^ork.     The    (piail,    the    iiamntp.ia    pMrtrid<i'e,   the 
koran,  the  pauw,  a  s})ecies  of  Ijustard,  all  at  different 
times  and  seasons  fill  the  frame-ljafr,  wliile  often  the  ^ 
spriiig-h<)k  and  sometimes  the  leopard  ^vl\\  fall  to 
the  well-aimed  rifle.     I  iinairiiic  tliat  mauva  \omiu' 
English  farmer  with  a  £rood  trainiiii:,  an  active  dis- 
position,  and    a    small   capital,   might   find   in  the 
Karroo   both    a    home    and  a   I'ortune.     No  rent, 
scarcely  any  taxes,  and   perfect  freedom  are   con- 
stituents of  happiness  which  to  the  ordinary  English 
farmer   would   appear    almost  as  an  unrealizable 
dream. y  An  earl)'  start  the  next  morning,  a  journey 
of  twenty-four  hours  across  the  monotonous  and 
apparently  limitless  expanse,  of  the  Karroo  brought 
_Ji^to  KimberleyJ     Nothing  in  the  external  appear- 
ance of  Kiml^erley  suggests  either  its   fame  or  its 
wealth.     A   straggling,    haphazard  connection  of 
small,  lo^v  dwellings,  constructed   almost  entirely 
of  corrugated  iron  or  of  wood,  laid  out  with  hardly 
any  attempt  at  regidarity,  and  without  the  slightest 
trace  of  municipal  magnificence,  is  the  home  of 
the  diamond   industry.     It   seems  that  when  the 
diamonds  were  first  discovered  some  twenty  years 


The  Diamond  Industry  at  Kimberley.      37 


ago,  many  thousands  of  persons  settled  down  sud- 
denly on  the  spot  like  a  cluster  of  swarmmg  bees, 
and  established  themselYes  anyhow  as  best  thev 
could  in  the  most  rough  and  primitive  fashion, 
never  dreaming  but  that  the  yield  of  diamonds 
would  be  of  limited  extent  and  of  short  duration, 
that  their  fortunes  would  be  rapidly  acquired,  and 


Classified  for  shipment  at  Kimberlej. 


that  they  would  pass  as  rapidly  away  from  the 
place,  having  exhausted  all  its  Avealth-producing 
resources.  The  re\'erse  has  proved  to  be  the  case. 
The  diamondiferous  resources  of  Kimberley  are 
now  known  to  be  practically  inexhaustible,  but  the 
amalgamation  of  the  mines  has  restricted  employ- 
ment and  checked  immigration,  and  the  town 
still  preserves,  and  probably  will  always  preserve, 


38   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


its  transitory  and  rough-and-ready  appearance. 
There  are,  however,  a  number  of  excellent  shops, 
and  there  are  few  articles  of  necessity,  of  con- 
venience, or  of  luxury  which  cannot  here  be  pur- 
chased. A  most  comfortable  and  hospitable  club, 
an  admirably  laid-out  and  well-arranged  racecourse 
testify  to  the  thoroughly  English  character  of  the 
settlement.  At  Kimberley  the  diamond  is  every- 
thing, and  the  source  and  method  of  its  production 
claim  more  than  a  passing  mention.  My  first  visri 
was  to  the  offices  of  the  De  Beers  Compaii}',  which 
company  represents  the  amalgamated  interests  of 
the  De  Beers,  Kimberley,  Bultfontein,  Du  Toits 
Pan,  and  other  smaller  miuQS.  The  amalgamation 
was  the  work  of  Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes,  and  it  was 
this  great  work,  accomplished  in  the  teeth  of 
unheard-of  difficulties  and  almost  insurmountable 
opposition,  representing  the  conciliation  and 
unification  of  almost  innumerable  rival  jarring 
and  conflictino-  interests,  which  revealed  to  South 
Africa  that  it  possessed  a  public  man  of  the  first 
order.  The  scale  of  the  company's  ojDerations  is 
stupendous.  On  a  capital  of  nearly  8,000,000/.  of 
debenture  and  share  stock  it  has  2)aid,  since  its 
formation  in  1888  up  to  March,  1890,  interest  at 
the  rate  of  5^  per  cent.,  and  an  annual  dividend  of 
20  per  cent.  In  the  same  period  it  has  given  out 
some  t^vo  million  five  hundred  thousand  carats  of 
diamonds,  realizing  by  sale  over  three  and  a  half 
milhoii  pounds,  produced  by  washing  some  two 
million  seven  hundred  thousand  loads  of  blue 
ground.     Each  load  represents  three-quarters  of  a 


The  De  Beers  ComI'anv.  39 


ton,  and  costs  in  extracting  about  S-y.  lOd.  per 
load,  realizing  a  profit  of  206;,  to  ?)0,s.  per  carat 
sold.  The  annual  amount  of  money  ])aid  aM'ay  in 
interest  and  dividends  exceeds  1,300,000/.  The 
dividends  might  have  been  mucli  larger,  but  the 
policy  of  the  present  Board  of  Directors  appears  to 
be  to  restrict  the  production  of  diamonds  to  the 
quantity  the  world  can  easily  absorb,  to  maintain 
the  price  of  the  diamonds  at  a  fair  level  from  28.v. 
to  32.9.  per  carat,  and,  in  order  the  better  to  carry 
out  this  policy,  to  accumulate  a  very  large  cash 
reserve.  I  believe  that  the  reserve  already  accu- 
mulated amounts  to  nearly  a  million,  and  that  this 
amount  is  to  be  doubled  in  the  course  of  the  next 
year  or  two,  when  the  board  will  feel  that  they 
have  occupied  for  their  shareholders  a  position  un- 
assailable by  any  of  the  changes  and  chances  of 
commerce.  In  the  working  of  the  mine  there  are 
employed  about  1300  Europeans  and  5700  natives. 
The  wages  paid  range  high,  and  figures  concerning 
them  may  interest  the  English  artisan.  Mechanics 
and  engine-drivers  receiA'e  from  G/.  to  7/-.  per 
week,  miners  from  5/.  to  6L,  guards  and  tally-men 
from  4/.  to  5/.  ;  natives  in  the  undero'round  works 
are  paid  from  As.  to  5,s'.  per  day.  In  the  work  on 
the  ''  floors,"  which  is  all  surface  work,  overseers 
receive  from  3/=  12.v.  to  4/.  2s.,  machine  men  and 
assorters  from  5/.  to  6/.,  and  ordinary  native 
labourers  from  17.s'.  6./.  to  21.9.  per  week.  In 
addition,  every  employe  on  the  "  floors  "  has  a  per- 
centage on  the  value  of  diamonds  found  by  himself, 
the  white   employes    receiving    1.5.    6(?.,    and    the 


h^ 


40  Men,  Mikes,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


natives    Sd,    per    carat.     I\  early     double     these 
aniouuts  are  paid  for  stones  found  in  the  mines. 
'     ^Ir.    Gardner    Williams,    the    eminent    mining 
eno'ineer   who    occujiies   the    important    post    of 

Mr.  GarclEer  "Williams.     Lord  Randolpli  Churcliin.  Captain  Williams. 


lu  the  Eock  Sliafh  of  the  De  Beers  Diamond  Mine,  at  a  depth  of 
900  feet. 

general  manager  to  the  De  Beers  'Company,  "svas 
kind  enough  to  accompany  me  all  o^-er  the  mines, 
and  to  explain  in  detail  the  method  of  operation. 
The  De  Beers  and  the  Kimberley  mines  are 
probably  the  two  biggest  holes  which  greedy  man 


The  Blue  Ground.  41 


has  ever  dug  into  the  earth,  the  area  of  the  former 
at  the  surface  bemg  thirteen  acres,  with  a  depth  of 
•450  feet,  the  area  and  depth  of  the  Latter  being- 
even  greater.  These  mines  are  no  longer  worked 
from  the  surface,  Ijut  from  shafts  sunk  at  some 
distance  from  the  original  holes,  and  penetrating  to 
the  blue  ground  by  transverse  drivings  at  depths 
varying  from  500  to  1200  feet.  The  blue  ground, 
when  extracted,  is  carried  in  small  iron  trucks 
to  the  "  floors."  "  These  are  made  by  removing 
the  bush  and  grass  from  a  fairly  level  ^iece  of 
ground ;  the  land  is  then  rolled  and  made  as 
hard  and  as  smooth  as  j^ossible.  These  '  floors ' 
are  about  600  acres  in  extent.  They  are 
covered  to  the  depth  of  about  a  foot  with 
the  blue  ground,  which  for  a  time  remains  on 
them  without  much  manipulation.  The  heat  of 
the  sun  and  moisture  soon  have  a  wonderful  effect 
upon  it.  Large  pieces  which  were  as  hard  as 
ordinary  sandstone  when  taken  from  the  mine, 
soon  commence  to  crumljle.  At  this  stage  of  the 
work,  the  winning  of  the  diamonds  assumes 
more  the  nature  of  farming  than  of  mining ;  the 
ground  is  continually  haii'owed  to  assist  pulveriza- 
tion by  exposing  the  larger  pieces  to  the  action 
of  the  sun  and  rain.  The  blue  ground  from 
Kimberley  mine  l^ecomes  quite  well  pulverized  in 
three  months,  while  that  from  De  Beers  requires 
double  that  time.  The  lono-er  tlie  oround  remains 
exposed,  the  l)etter  it  is  for  Avasliing."  ^  The 
process  of  exposure  being  completed,  the  blue 
'  Keport,  1890,  General  Manager,  De  Beers. 


42   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


ground  is  then  carried  to  very  large,  elaborate, 
and  costly  washing  machines,  in  which,  l)y  means  - 
of  the  action  of  running  water,  the  diamonds  are 
separated  from  the  ordinary  earth.  It  may  be 
mentioned  that  in  this  process  100  loads  of  blue 
ground  are  concentrated  into  one  load  of  diamondi- 
ferous  stuff.  Another  machine,  the  "  pulsator," 
then  separates  this  latter  stuff',  which  appears  to 
be  a  mass  of  blue  and  dark  pebbles  of  all  shapes, 
into  four  different  sizes,  which  then  pass  on  to  the 
assortcrs.  "  The  assorting  is  done  on  tables,  first 
while  wet  by  whitemen,  and  then  dry  by  natives."  ^ 
The  assorters  work  with  a  kind  of  trowel,  and 
their  accuracy  in  detecting  and  separating  the 
diamond  from  the  eight  different  kinds  of  mineral 
formations  which  reach  them  is  almost  unerring.  (^ 
\  /^  "  The  diamond  occurs  in  all  shades  of  colour  from  ) 
deep  yellow  to  blue  white,  from  deep  brown  to 
light  brown,  and  in  a  great  A'ariety  of  colours, 
green,  blue,  jjink,  broAvn,  yellow,  orange,  i^ure 
white,  and  opaque."  -  The  most  valuable  are  tlie 
pure  white  and  the  deep  orange.  ''  The  stones 
vary  in  size  from  that  of  a  pin's  head  upwards  ; 
the  largest  diamond  yet  found  weighed  428^  carats. 
It  was  cut  arid  exhibited  at  the  Paris  Exhibitiou, 
and  after  cutting  weighed  22 8^  carats.  "After 
assorting,  the  diamonds  are  sent  daily  to  the 
general  office  under  an  armed  escort  and  delivered 
to  the  valuators  in  charge  of  the  diamond 
department.     The  first  operation  is  to  clean  the 

'   Report,  1890,  General  Mnnager,  De  Beers. 
■  lid  I. 


Separating  the  Diamonds. 


43 


diamonds  of  aiiy  extraneous  matter  by  boiling 
them  in  a  mixture  of  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids. 
When  cleaned  they  are  carefully  assorted  again  in 
respect  of  size,  colour,  and  purity."  ^  The  room  in 
the  De  Beers  oiiice  where  they  are  then  displayed 
offers  a  most  strikinir  siii'ht.  It  is  lii>'hted  by  laro-e 
windows,  underneath  which  runs  a  broad  counter 
covered  with  white  sheets  of  j^aper,  on  ^vdiicli  are 


In  the  800  feet  level  of  the  De  Beers  Diamond  Mine. 

laid  out  innumerable  glistening  heaps  of  precious 
stones  of  indescribable  variety.  In  this  room  ai'e 
concentrated  some  60,000  carats,  the  daily  produc- 
tion of  the  Consolidated  Mine  being  about  5500 
carats.  "  When  the  diamonds  have  been  valued 
they  are  sold  in  parcels  to  local  buyers,  who 
represent  the  leading  diamond  merchants  of 
Europe.  The  size  of  a  parcel  varies  from  a  lew 
thousand  to  tens  of  thousands  of  carats ;  in  one 
^  Iloporfc,  1890,  General  Manager,  De  Beers. 


.// 


44  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


instance,  two  years  ago,  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
million  of  carats  were  sold  in  one  lot  to  one 
buyer."  ^ 

The  company  sustain  a  considerable  loss  annually, 
estimated  now  at  from  10  to  15  per  cent.,  by 
diamonds  beino-  stolen  IVom  the  mines.  To  check 
this    loss,    extraordinary   precautions    have    been 


Sorting  grayel  for  diamonds  at  Kimberley. 


resorted  to.  The  natives  are  engaged  for  a  j^eriod 
of  three  months,  during  Avliich  time  they  are 
confined  in  a  compound  suiTounded  by  a  high  wall. 
On  returning  from  their  day's  work,  they  have  to 
strip  off  all  their  clothes,  which  they  hang  on  pegs 
in  a  shed.  Stark  naked,  they  then  proceed  to  the 
^  Report,  1890,  General  Manager,  De  Leers. 


Precautions  again;=t  Theft.  45 

searching    room,    wliere  their  mouths,  their   haii% 
their  toes,  their  armpits,  and  every  portion  of  theii* 
l)ocly    are  sul)jected  to  an  ehal)orate  examination. 
White  men  would  ne\er  submit  to  such  a  ])rocess, 
])ut  the  native  sustains  the  indignitv  Avitli  clicci'riil 
equanimitN',  considei'ing  only  the  high  wages  which 
he  earns.     After    passing'   through    the    senrchina; 
room,  thev  pass,  still  in  a  state  of  nnditv,  to  their 
apartments    in    tlie    compound,    A\'here    tliey    find 
blankets    in   ^vliicli    to    A^'rap    tliemsehes   for   the 
night.      During  the  e\'ening,  the  clothes  which  they 
have  left  behind  them  are   carefnlly  and  minutely 
searched,  and  are  restored  tu  thcii-  owners  in  the 
morning.      The    precautions    A\'liich    are    taken    a 
few  days  before  the  nati^'es  lea\e  tlie  compound, 
their   engagement   being    terminated,    to    recover 
diamonds   Avhich  they   may   have  swallowed,  are 
more  easily  imagined   than    descrd^ed.     In    addi- 
tion   to    these    arrangements,     a.    law    of   excep- 
tional   rigour    punishes    illicit    diamond    buying,         '  ^  ^ 
known  in  the  slang  of  Sontli  Africa  as  I.D.B.ism.     7 — 
Under  this  statute,  the   ordinary  presumption  of 
law  in  favour  of  tlie  accused  disap^Dears,  and  an         » 
accused  person  has   t()  pro\'e  his  innocence  in  the 
clearest  manner,  instead  of  the  accuser  having  to 
prove  his  guilt.     Sentences  are  constantly  passed 
on  persons  con^dcted   of  this  otlence  ranging  from 
five  to    fifteen    vears.     It  must  be  admitted  that 
this  tremendous  law  is  in  thorough  conformity  with 
South  African  sentiment,  which  elevates  I.D.B.ism 
almost  to  the  level,  if  not  above  the  level,  of  actual 
homicide.     If  a  man  walking  in  the  streets  or  in 


46   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


the  precincts  of  Kimberley  were  to  find  a  diamond 
and  were  not  immediately  to  take  it  to  the  registrar, 
restore  it  to  him,  and  to  liave  the  fact  of  its 
restoration  registered,  he  woukl  he  Hal)le  to  a 
punishment  of  fifteen  years'  penal  servitude.  In 
order  to  prevent  illicit  traffic,  the  quantities  of 
diamonds  produced  by  the  mines  are  reported  to 
the  detective  department  both  by  the  producers 
and  the  exporters.  All  diamonds,  except  those 
which  pass  through  illicit  channels,  are  sent  to 
England  l)v  registered  post,  the  Aveekly  shipments 
averaoino- "  from  40,000  to  50,000  carats.  The 
o;reatest  outlet  for  stolen  diamonds  is  throuo-h 
the  Transvaal  to  Xatal,  where  they  are  shipped  by 
respectable  merchants,  who  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  any 
information  from  the  diamond  fields  to  the  effect 
that  they  are  aiding  the  safe-©^  stolen  proj^erty.^ 
The  most  ingenious  ruses  are  resorted  to  by  the 
illicit  dealers  for  conveying  the  stolen  diamonds 
out  of  Kimberley.  They  are  considerably  assisted 
by  the  fact  that  the  boundaries  of  the  Transvaal 
and  of  the  Free  State  approacli  witliin  a  few 
miles  of  Kimlx-rley,  and  once  across  the  border^ 
they  are  comparatively  safe.  Recently,  so  I  was 
informed,  a  notorious  diamond  thief  was  seen 
leaving  Kimberley  on  horseback  for  the  Transvaal 
Convinced  of  his  iniquitous  designs,  he  was  seized 
by  the  police  on  the  border  and  tlioroughly 
searched.  Nothing  was  found  on  liim,  and  he 
was  perforce  allowed  to  proceed.     Xo  sooner  was 

1  Report,  1890,  General  Manager,  De  ]5ecrs. 


A  Model  Village  Community.  47 

lie  well  across  the  border,  than  he,  under  the  eyes 
of  the  detective,  delibei'ately  shot  and  cut  open  his 
horse,  extracting  fi'oiii  its  intestines  a  large  parcel 
of  diamonds,  which,  previous  to  the  journey,  had 
been  administered  to  the  unfortunate  animal  in 
the  form  of  a  ball.         ^' 

The  De  Beers  Directors  manage  their  immense 
concern  with  o-reat  liberalitv.  A  model  villa  o-e, 
called  Kenilworth,  within  the  precincts  of  the 
mines,  affords  most  comfortable  and  healthy  accom- 
iliodation  for  several  of  the  European  employes. 
Gardens  are  attached  to  cottages,  and  the  planting 
of  eucalyptus,  cypress,  pine,  and  oak,  as  well  as  a 
variety  of  fruit  trees,  has  been  carried  to  a  con- 
siderable extent.  A  very  excellent  club-house 
has  also  been  built,  which  includes,  besides  the 
mess-room  and  kitchen,  a.  reading-room,  where 
many  of  the  monthly  papers  and  magazines  are 
kept,  together  with  six  hundred  volumes  from  the 
Kimberley  Public  Li1)rary.  There  is  also  a  billiard 
room,  Avith  two  oood  tables  o-iven  by  two  of  the 
directors.  A  la r o-e  recreation  oTound  is  in  the 
course  of  construction.  AVithin  the  compound 
Avhere  the  native  labourers  are  confined  is  a  store 
where  they  can  procure  cheaply  all  the  necessaries 
of  life.  Wood  and  water  are  supjolied  free  of 
charge,  and  a  large  swimming  bath  is  also  provided, 
but  I  did  not  learn  if  the  n[itives  made  much  use 
of  it.  All  sick  natives  are  taken  care  of  in  a 
hospital  connected  with  the  compound,  where 
medical  attendance,  nurses,  and  food  are  sujiplied 
gratuitouslv  by  the  company.     I  should  not  omit 


48   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


to  mention  that  the  entire  mine  nhove  and  under- 
liToinid  is  li_2;hted  by  (dectricit)'.  'J'herc  are  tivn 
cii-cuits  of  ek'ctj'ic  lamps  for  De  Beers  and 
Kinil)erlc\'  mines.  They  consist  of  lifry-tA\'o  arc 
]amj)S  of  1000  candle  power  each,  and  (191  gloA\' 
lamps  of  sixteen  and  sixty-four  candle  i)ower  each, 
or  a  total  illuminatinp:  power  of  63,696  candles. 
There  are,  moreoA'er,  thirty  telephones  connectinu' 
the  ditterent  centres  of  A\'ork  too-ether,  and  over 
eio-htv  electric  hells  are  used  for  simallinu'  in 
shafts  and  on  haulages.  Such  is  this  marvellous 
mine,  the  like  of  whicli  I  doulit  whether  the 
world  can  show.  W'lien  one  considers  the 
enormous  capital  iinested,  the  ela1)orate  and 
costly  plant,  the  numher  <jf  human  beings 
emplo3^ed,  and  the  object  of  this  unparalleled 
concentration  of  effort,  curious  reflections  occur. 
In  all  other  mining-  distinctly  profitable  objects  are 
sought,  and  purposes  are  cai'ried  out  beneficial 
generally  to  mankind.  This  I'cmark  would  apply 
to  gold  mines,  to  coal  mines,  to  tin,  copper,  and 
lead  mines ;  but  at  the  De  Beers  mine  all  the 
wonderful  arrangements  I  ha\'e  described  above  are 
put  in  force  in  order  to  extract  from  the  depths  of 
the  ground,  solely  for  the  wealtliy  classes,  a  tin\' 
crystal  to  be  used  for  the  gratification  of  female 
vanity  in  imitation  of  a  lust  for  personal  adornment 
essentiallv  barbaric  if  not  altoo-ether  savao-e. 


From  Kimbekley  to  Johankeseurg.        49 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GOLD. 

The  dianionds  of  Kimberley — The  journey  to  Johannesburg — 
Eaihvay  extensions — Grass  veldt  between  Kimberley  and 
Yryburg — The  cattle  farm  of  the  future — "Native  Re- 
serve "  of  the  Southern  Bechuana — We  reach  Vryburg — 
Sir  Sidney  Shipjiard  entertains  us — Coaching  with  a 
team  of  mules — The  wayfaring  man  in  the  Transvaal — 
An  attractive  little  town — Gold  mines  in  the  neighbour- 
hood—The outlook  at  Johannesburg — The  gold  mines — 
Selfish  jealousy  of  the  Boer  Government — Astounding 
inequality  of  taxation — Bad  condition  of  the  roads  to 
Johannesburg — The  vicious  system  of  concessions. 

I  PASSED  from  the  region  of  diainoiids  into 
the  region  of  gohl.  The  "Arabian  Nights" 
character  of  this  statement  is  justified  by  the  fact 
that,  as  the  small  cHstrict  of  Kimberley  produces 
some  2,000,000/.  of  diamonds  annually,  so  the 
larger  but  still  not  vast  district  of  the  Randt 
produces  in  the  same  period  some  2,500,000/.  of 
gold.  This  latter  production,  unlike  that  of 
Kimberley,  is  likely  to  be  doubled  and  even 
trebled  in  course  of  time.  The  journey  from 
Kimberley  to  Johannesburg,  covering  a  distance 
of  450  miles,  deserves  some  description.  The  rail- 
way is  completed  as  far  as  Vryburg  in  Bechuana- 
land.  It  is  now  proposed  to  carry  this  raihvay  on 
a  narro^vcr  n-au2"e  to  Mafekinii-  and  to  a  hundred 
miles  north  of  that  place.     Should  the  Tati  gold- 


50  Mex\,  Mines,  and  Ankmals  in  South  Africa. 

fields  prove  as  remunerative  as  well-informed 
persons  believe,  the  line  will  soon  be  extended 
thither.  From  Tati  to  the  Victoria  Falls  of  the 
Zambesi  is  a  short  step  of  about  500  miles,  o^'er  a 
country  offering  few  engineering  difficulties,  and  I 
doubt  not  that  the  next  generation,  before  it  groM-s 
old,  will  travel  to  this  great  river  and  to  its  un- 
paralleled cascades  with  the  same  ease  and  comfort 
as  the  present  generation  is  able  to  visit  Niagara. 
The  road  from  Kimberley  to  Vryburg  traverses  a 
succession  of  j)lains  wide  as  the  eye  can  range, 
bounded  here  and  there  by  Ioav  and  regular 
chains  of  liills.  Scarcely  a  single  tree  breaks  the 
endless  flat  of  grass  veldt. 

Pone  me  pigiis  uLi  nulla  campis 
Arbor  a3stiva  recreatur  aura. 

The  Roman  poet  must  have  had  Bechuanaland  or 
the  Transvaal  in  his  mind  "when  he  wrote  the  lines 
quoted  above,  for  the  two  countries  perfectly 
realize  his  conception.  The  veldt  at  the  surface 
in  the  winter  has  a  somewhat  sterile  and  23arched 
appearance,  and  is  covered  with  patchy  grass  dried 
by  the  sun  to  the  colour  of  hay.  Far  and  wide  it 
extends,  and  the  traveller  sees  no  reason  why  he 
should  ever  emerge  from  its  limits.  Tayo  causes, 
however,  combine  to  remove  the  tedium  and 
monotony  of  such  a  landscape.  The  vastness,  the 
apparent  illimitability  of  the  surroundings,  elevate 
rather  than  oppress  the  mind,  and  the  genial 
sunshine,  the  cloudless  sky,  the  in\dgorating 
highland  air  sustain  the  spirits  at  a  hio-h  level. 


The  Cattle  Farm  of  the  Future.    qi 


Nor  must  it  he  supposed  that  these  African  plains' 
arc  in  any  degree  "wanting  in  fertility.     The  heavy 
rains   of  the    siuinner    and    autunni    produce    an 
abundance   of  juicy  grass,   on  Avdiich    are    raised 
large  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep.     Both  in 
Bechuanaland  and  in  the  Transvaal  the  amount  of 
live  stock  is  very  considei'ably  less  than  the  area 
and  the  soil  are  capable  of  sustaining,  and  it  A"\'ould 
scarcelv  be  an  exaggeration  to  assert  that  if,  in 
the  course  of  centuries,  all  other  supplies  of  meat 
ibr  the   human   race    should   be    exhausted,    the 
African  veldt  could  produce   sufficient  to  fill  the 
stomachs    of  a   stai'ving    world.     Cattle    disease, 
horse  sickness,  and  the  sheep  scab  at  present  otter 
formidable  obstacles  to  the  rapid  multiplication  of 
live  stock.     It  is  highly  probable  that  science  and 
sanitary   legislation   will   before    long   rempve   or 
mitigate  these  scourges  of  the  farmer.     Approach- 
ing    Vryburg,    the    railroad    runs     through    the 
"  Native  Reserve,"  a  large  district  Avliiclr  has  been 
set  aside  for  exclusive  occupation  and  cultivation 
by  the  Southern  Becliuana.     The  soil  here  is  ^vell- 1 
Avatered  and  of  great  fertility ;  al)undant  crops  of 
mealies   (maize)    can  he   easily  I'aised,   and  many 
other  kinds  of  grain,  j^otatoes,  and  various  vege- 
tables might  be  produced  in  lai'ge  quantities  were 
the    natives   given   to    industry  and    agriculture. 
Report,    however,     speaks     but    poorly    of    the 
Southern  Becliuana  ;    idle    and  insolent    in  good 
years,    helpless    and    mendicant     in    bad,    it    is 
doubtful  whether  he   will   be    long  aljlc   or   per- 
mitted to  retain  his  hold  upon  a  territory  which 

E  2 


52   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

is   capable   of  being   transformed   into    one   vast 
garden. 

Vryburg  is  an  urban  conimiuiity  in  its  infancy, 
whjcli  may  some  day  grow  into  a  large  and 
f  thriving  town.  At  ]n'esent  it  consists  of  a  number 
of  low  buildings  of  somewhat  mean  and  squalid 
appearance,  constructed  of  tlie  inevitable  corru- 
gated iron,  and  sjDreading  themselves  out  irregu- 
larly o\'er  a  considerable  extent  of  ground.  Sir 
Sidney  Shij^pard,  the  British  administrator,  avIio 
entertained  us  most  kindly  and  hospitiibly, 
occuj^ies  a  small  cottage  which  many  a  J3ritish 
mechanic  would  desi:)ise.  It  is  to  be  hoped, 
'considering  the  size  aud  importance  of  our 
Bcchuanaland  j)ossessions  and  the  great  powers 
^vielded  l)y  the  administrator,  tliat  the  British 
Go^■ernment,  who  insist  upon  retaining  their  hold 
over  Bechuanaland,  will  ])ro\ide  its  ref)resentative 
with  a  more  suitable  and  honourable  residence. 
Three  ho  eels  offer  to  the  tra\-eller  fail*  Init  rough 
accommodation,  and  in  one  or  more  "well-iilled 
stores  the  immigrant  or  the  settler  can  obtain 
most  of  the  necessaries  of  lilr  and  such  articles  as 
are  requisite  for  the  commerce  of  the  interior. 
From  Vryburg  branch  oft'  many  routes  north  and 
east  and  west :  westward  into  Damaraland,  or 
into  the  great  Kalahari  desert  towards  Lake 
Ngami :  northward  to  ]\Iatabelel.and  and  the 
Zambesi ;  eastward,  which  route  we  ourselves 
followed,  to  the  Transvaal  and  Johannesburg. 
Passenger  coaches  are  for  the  jDresent  conhned 
to    this    latter    route.      As    ^ve    vrere    a    large 


Coaching  with  a  Team  of  Mules.         53 

party,  with  some  amount  of  baggage,  we  had 
secured  for  our  ])rivate  use  two  coaches,  and 
we  passed  the  four  days  occupied  in  the 
journey  to  Johannesburg  in  tolerable  comfort. 
This  kind  of  coaching  is  an  experience  which  at  the 
present  day  can  only  l)e  tried  in  Africa.  The 
coaches  themsehes  are  the  most  curious  produc- 
tions of  human  slcill.  Intended  to  hold  twelve 
passengers  inside,  lialf-a-dozen  outside,  besides 
large  quantities  of  heavy  baggage,  they  are  con- 
structed of  very  solid  materials  hung  upon  thick 
springs  of  leather,  and  present  the  most  unwieldy 
lumliering  and  old  world  appearance.  They  are 
dra^Mi  by  ten  or  twelve  mules  or  horses  harnessed 
in  2^airs.  T^^'o  men  are  refjuired  to  guide  the 
team,  the  one  holding  the  reins,  the  other  the 
long  whip  witli  which  he  can  severely  chastise  all 
but  the  leading  pair.  AVhen  driving  a  team  of 
mules  the  Avhip  is  in  operation  every  minute, 
constant  flosi-^-ino;  alone  inducino-  these  stubloorn 
animals  to  do  their  best.  At  times  one  of  the 
drivers  is  compelled  to  descend  from  tiie  box  and 
run  alono-side  the  team,  fioo-n-iuo-  them  all  with 
the  greatest  heartiness  and  impartiality.  In  spite, 
however,  of  all  this  effort  and  apparent  harsh 
treatment,  an  a^'erage  speed  of  about  six  miles  is 
all  that  can  be  realized.  Roads  there  are  none  ; 
deeplv  rutted  tracks  are  followed.  When  tlie 
ruts  get  too  dee})  for  safety  the  track  turns 
slightly  aside,  and  to  such  an  extent  does  this 
sometimes  occur  that  in  places  the  track  occupies 
a  width  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more.    Swinging, 


54  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


boundino-,  joltiiio',    creaking,   straining    over   this 
extraordinary  route,   the    coach   pursues  the  un- 
even tenor  of   its  ^Vi\Y,  sometimes  labouring  and 
pkmging   Uke   a  ship    at   sea,  constantly  heeling 
over  at  angles  at  which  an  upset  seems  unavoid- 
able;    now    descending   into    the    deep    bed    of  a 
"spniit"    (creek),    now    sticking    fast    in    heavy 
ground,  now  careering  o\'er  masses  of  rocks  and 
stones.     The  travellers,  all  shaken  up   inside  like 
an  omelet  in  a  frying-pan,  never  cease  to  wonder 
that  the  human  frame  can  endure  such  shaking,  or 
that  Avood  and  iron  can  be  so  firndy  riveted  to- 
gether as  to  stand  such  a  strain.     It  may  be  men- 
tioned that  the  life  of  a  coach  does  not  exceed  two 
years,  that  upsets  are  frequent,  and  casualties  not 
uncommon.     In  this  latter  respect,  however,  we 
were  fortunate,  reaching  our   destination  without 
the  sliglitest  accident  or  misfortune,  our  (b'ivers 
l)eing   skilful    and  the  teams  on  the  wliole  fairlv 
good.     AVhether  Soutli   Africa   ^y\\\    ever   j^ossess 
proper  coach  i-oads   is    doubtful.     Raili'oads  will 
soon  supersede  this  antiquated  method  of  travelling, 
and  the  coach,  with  its  long  team  of  mules,  the 
ti'ansport    I'idei-    with    lu's    waggon,    and    his    still 
longer  team  of  oxen,  will  soon  become  things  of 
the  past,  or  l)e  baiiislied  to  the  remotest  regions. 
At  present  it  is  j^o^^^ihle   for  any  one  who  cares 
about  the  exjDcrience  to  realize  most  accurately  the 
mode  so  graphically  described  l-y  Loi-d  Macaulay, 
in   which   our   forefathers    travelled    in   England 
some  two  centuries  ago.     Along  the  i-oad  but  few 
human   beings   are    met,  human   habitations    are 


The  Wayfaring  Man  in  the  Transvaal.     55 

scarce  and  for  apart,  and  little  animal  life  is  to 
ha  perceived.  Birds  are  fairly  numerous ;  the ' 
"  koran,"  the  partridge,  the  plover,  the  "  dikkop,"' 
offer  to  the  sportsman  occasional  shots.  Skeletons 
of  horses  and  of  oxen  which  have  succumhed  to 
the  labours  and  pri^'ations  of  the  journey  abound 
[dong'side  the  track,  all  either  having  been  jDicked 
clean  or  in  the  process  of  being  devoured  by  flocks 
of  vultures.  At  one  place  we  perceived  some 
scores  of  these  birds  surrounding  a  carcase,  so 
gorged  that  they  took  no  notice  of  our  approach, 
although  we  passed  within  a  few  feet  of  them. , 

The  hotel  accommodation  in  the  Transvaal  is  of 
the  roughest  description,  the  Dutch  scarcely  appre- 
ciating either  cleanliness  or  comfort.  It  is  possible 
that  the  sleeping  rooms  might  in  some  cases  be 
condemned  by  an  l^]ngiish  magistrate  or  inspector. 
An  extraordinary  profusion  of  food  awaits  the 
liungry  wayfarer,  but,  alas !  it  is  quantity  and 
not  quality  which  is  attained ;  and  it  is  easy  for 
the  man  who  dines  in  a  Dutch  hotel  at  a  table 
covered  with  every  variety  of  viand  to  rise  from 
his  repast  almost  as  liungry  as  he  sat  do^v^i.  The 
followins;  is  the  menu  of  dinner  which  awaited  our 
party  on  our  arrival  at  Pullen's  "  AYinkel  "  (store 
and  hotel),  where  we  passed  the  first  night  of  our 
journey : — 

Oyster  soup. 

Egg  a  la  soupe. 

Saleme  (x^c)  curry  and  rice. 

Chicken  pie. 

Saleme  (dc)  duck  and  olives. 

Roast  leg  mutton. 

Lamb  and  mint  sauce. 


56  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

Corned  mutton. 

Saddle  mutton. 

Boiled  leg  mutton. 

Boiled  shoulder  mutton  and  caper  sauce. 

Boiled  corned  beef. 

Boiled  ham. 

Stuffed  roast  turkey. 

Stuffed  roast  duck  and  mushroom. 

Eoast  fowl. 

Boiled  fo^vl  and  oyster  sauce. 

Potatoes. 

Beans. 

Boiled  currant  i)uJding  ami  wine  sauce. 

Friiit  pie. 

Red  currant  pie  and  l)oilcd  custard. 

Tipsey  (sic)  cake. 

Cake  a  la  Meringue. 

Custard  tart. 

Tart. 

Queen  tart. 

Fruit  a  la  Meringue. 

Blanc-mange  and  jam. 

Baisins  and  almonds. 

I  can  truthfully  assert  that,  having  done  my  l)est  to 
partake  of  some  of  these  dishes,  when  dinner  was 
over  I  would  have  given  a  gold  mine  in  jMashona- 
land  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  the  Amphytrion. 
On  the  second  day  we  reached  Klerksdorp,  and 
were  within  the  limits  of  the  auriferous  portion  of 
the  Transvaal.  Klerksdorp  is  in  a  state  of  decay, 
having  had  but  an  ephemeral  existence.  It  sprang 
into  life  during  the  gold-mining  boom  of  some 
four  years  ago.  The  ground  all  round  it  for  a 
considerable  space  was  hastily  pegged  off  in 
mining  claims,  companies  were  floated  with  large 
capital,  sliares  were  tossed  up  to  a  premium  ]3y 
the  promoter,  just  as  a  Japanese  conjurer  with  a, 
fan  causes  bits  of  paper  to  ascend  in  the  air,  and 


An  Attractive  Little  Town.  57 

then  came  the  crash.  All  was  over,  and  a  large 
pretentious  stock  exchange,  tenanted  now  only 
by  the  dog,  the  cat,  the  pig,  and  the  foAvl, 
tells  the  interesting  story  of  an  African  golden 
dream.  There  are,  however,  one  or  two  mines  in 
the  neighbourhood,  which  may  possibly,  with 
skilful  management,  yield  some  profit  to  the 
shareholders,  v/here  the  ore  is  plentiful,  though  of 
low  grade.  One  of  these,  the  Bufflesdorn,  about 
ten  miles  from  Klerksdorp,  we  were  able  to  make 
a  thorough  ins]Dection  of.  It  is  being  skilfully  and 
economically  worked,  possesses  a  reef  from  three 
to  four  feet  in  thickness,  yielding  on  an  average 
a1)out  seven  penn\^weights  to  the  ton,  is  not 
o\'er  capitalized,  and  has  much  about  it  which 
led  those  "who  Averc  with  me  and  who  were 
experienced  authorities,  to  suppose  that  be- 
fore long  it  may  be  a  fairly  })rofitable  mining 
venture.  Klerksdorp  can  also  boast  of  a  hotel  of 
considerable  size,  the  landlord  of  Avliich,  a  Gei'man, 
may  be  celebrated  for  his  insolence  and  his 
rapacity,  whose  guests  are  tormented  by  excessive 
dirt  and  discomfort.  A  short  drive  of  about  five 
hours  brought  us  on  the  following  day  to  Potchef- 
strom.  This  attractive  little  to^vn  lies  in  the 
hollow  of  a  great  plain,  at  the  foot  of  some  lo^v 
hills  fairly  covered  with  plantations.  The  houses 
are  surrounded  by  luxuriant  gardens,  the  streets 
are  lined  with  handsome  trees.  The  sight  of  a  tree 
or  -of  a  bit  of  green  in  the  treeless  and  parched 
veldt  gives  pleasure  and  relief  alike  to  the  mind 
and  the  eye.     Here  a  clean  and  comfortable  hotel 


58   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

and    an    obligin,^,'   host    enabled    us  to  forget  the 
vexations  and  annoyances  of  Klerksdorp. 

Johannesburg  was  reached  on  the  evening  of  the 
fourth    day.     We  found  ourselves    at    once  in    Ji 
society   and   amid    surroundings   widely  different 
from  an^' which  had  been  experienced  since  landing 
in  Africa.     Johannesburg  extends  lor  a  consider- 
able distance  alono-  a  rido-e  of  hills  6000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.     Around  wherever  the  eye 
reposes   it   is  arrested  by  mining  shafts,  liauliug 
gear,  engine  houses,  and  tall  chimneys.     Joliannes- 
burg  presents  a  very  English  appearance,  that  of 
an  Eiiiilish  manufacturino-  town  minus  its  noise, 
smoke,  and  dirt.     TJie  streets  are  crowded  Avith  a 
busy,    bustling,    active,    keen,    intelligent-looking 
throng.     Here  are  gathered  together  human  beings 
from   eveiy   ([uarter   of  the   globe,    the    English 
possessing     an     immense      predominance.        The 
buildings    and  general    architecture   of   the  town 
attain  an    excellent  standard,   st\de  liaving    been 
consulted  and  sought  after,  stone  and  bricks  the 
materials,   corrugated  iron  being  confined  to  the 
roofs,    solidity,    permanence,     and    progress    the 
general  characteristics.     The  rise  of  this  town  has 
been  almost  magical,  a  period  of    less  than  five 
years  having  been  sufficient  to  effect  it ;  Avhen  it 
is    remembered    that    some    twenty    millions    of 
capital,   mainly   English,  have  been  sunk  in   the 
mines  of  the  Randt,  and  that  about  one  and  a  half 
million  annually  is  expended  on  the  maintenance 
and  exploitation  of  the  mines,  one  is  confirmed  in 
the  belief  that  there  is  nothing  that  money  cannot 


I 


The  Outlook  at  Johannesburg.  59 


do.  The  brio'lit  clays  which  marked  the  discovery 
of  the  gokl  mines  and  tlie  infancy  of  Johannesburg- 
have  passed  away.  The  twenty  milhons  of  capital, 
at  one  time  inflated  to  nearly  forty  millions,  are  now 
reduced  to  nearer  four  millions.  The  London  Stock 
Exchange  has  become  callous  and  insensible  to  the 
attractions  of  rich  reefs,  of  newly- discovered  deep 
levels,  and  the  inhabitants,  many  of  whom  have 
undergone  the  bitterest  experiences  and  the 
strangest  vicissitudes,  have  an  aspect  to  some 
extent  of  doubt,  nervousness,  and  anxiety,  wonder- 
ing when  the  long  period  of  inaction  and  stagna- 
tion, lasting  for  more  than  two  years,  ^vill  come  to 
an  end,  and  when  their  former  golden  hours  will 
return.  I  do  not  think  there  is  an\'  necessitv  for 
doid)t,  care,  and  anxiety. 

Facts  speak  for  themselves,  even  to  a  stranger. 
A  gold-field  which  has  been  steadily  and  gra- 
dually increasing  its  output,  and  which  has 
now  attained  a  monthly  production  of  60,000  oz., 
in  value  some  200,000/.,  must  have  befoi-e  it  a 
great  futiu-e.^  Recent  bad  times  and  the  insen- 
sibility of  the  London  ]\Ioney  Market  have 
had  an  admirable  effect  upon  the  directors  and 
managers  of  the  gold  mines  here.  They  have  been 
compelled,  by  force  of  circumstances,  to  divert 
their  attention  from  the  flotation  of  new  companies 
and  from  the  pushing  up  of  shares  to  absurd 
premiums  l^y  inaking  fallacious  returns  of  crush- 
ings,  and  by  other  dodges  familiar  to  the  promoter. 

^  The  monthly  output  for  January,  1892,  .sis  niontlis  after 
the  statement  above  -was  recorded,  was  valued  at  84,000  ounces. 


6o  Mex,  Mlnes,  and  Aximals  ix  South  Africa. 

They  are  now  concentrating  their  eftbrts  on  the 
development  of  their  mines,  the  attainment  of 
deeper  levels,  the  erection  of  improved  machinery, 
and  on  economical  administration.  Many  com- 
panies have  been  reconstructed,  and  others  are  in 
process  of  being  reconstructed ;  the  capital  of  several 
companies  has  been  ruthlessly  cut  doAvn.  In  one 
case  that  was  brought  to  my  notice,  the  capital 
of  a  company  had  been  reduced  from  200,000/.  to 
10,000/.,  and  although  this  reduction  undoubtedly 
represents  a  heavy  loss  in  the  past,  it  probably 
precedes  a  profitable  future.  Johannesburg  is 
a  town  of  much  promise  ;  the  stranger,  however, 
will  find  occasion  for  criticism  and  even  censure. 
The  streets  are  unpa^'ed,  and  tlie  roadways  are  as 
bad  or  worse  than  the  tracks  across  the  veldt. 
When  the  wind  is  high,  as  is  often  the  case,  the 
clouds  of  dust  thick  and  continuous  make  breathing 
almost  a  difficult}^,  nor  is  mitigation  of  this  great 
evil  attempted  by  an}-  kind  of  pavement,  or  by 
the  simple  and  comparatively  inexpensive  water- 
cart.  The  streets  at  night  are  unlit,  and  after 
sunset  total  darkness  renders  locomotion  along  the 
Imd  roads  a  matter  of  difficulty  and  of  danger. 
The  obscurity  moreover  enables  footpads  and 
housebreakers  to  pursue  their  a^'ocations  Avith 
consideral)le  impunity,  and  there  has  been  recently 
much  complaint  among  the  inhabitants  in  con- 
sequence of  the  increase  in  this  class  of  crime. 
The  police,  maintained  by  the  Boer  Government, 
are  few  in  number,  nor  can  I  learn  that  they  are 
in  any  way  distinguished  for  efficiency.     During 


Tender  Mercies  of  the  Boer  Government.  6i 

the  Aveek  I  have  l)een  here  I  have  not  set  eyes  on 
a  singio  policeman,  either  by  night  or  by  day. 

There  can  be  no  clonbt  that  many  of  these  evils 
wonkl  be  promptly  remedied  if  Johannesbnrg 
possessed  a  representative  municipality,  but  the 
selfish  jealousy  of  the  Boer  Government  obstinatelv 
refuses  any  such  concession.  There  is,  indeed,  a 
sanitary  boaixl,  whose  duties  are  solely  confined  to 
matters  of  sanitation,  which  is  elected  by  the  in- 
habitants. Two  regulations,  however,  completely 
neutralize  the  representative  value  of  this  institu- 
tion. The  members  of  the  Board  must  speak  and 
understand  Dutch,  and  the  proceedings  and 
minutes  of  the  Board  are  recorded  in  the  Dutch 
language.  Johannesburg  is  essentially  an  English- 
speaking  tov,ni.  I  imagine  that  a  very  small  2jro- 
portion  of  the  inhabitants,  practically  speaking  none 
of  the  well-to-do  classes,  speak  Dutch,  and  thus  it 
happens  that  those  who,  Irom  their  position  and 
possessions,  Avould  be  natural  and  useful  members 
of  the  Sanitary  Board,  are  totally  excluded  even 
from  this  small  share  in  the  government  of  the 
town.  In  the  second  jjlace  the  Boer  Govern- 
ment nominates  the  President  of  the  Board 
from  outside  the  number  of  those  elected.  It 
is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Johannesburg  will  long  tolerate  their  condition  of 
absolute  servitude  in  municipal  matters.  The 
astomiding  inecpiality  of  taxation  between  the 
inhabitants  of  Johannesbui'g  and  those  of  Pretoria 
is  certain  before  long  to  bring  about  a  movement 
by  the  former  to  which  the  Boer  Government  ^vill 


62  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

have  to  vield.  Some  figures  may  be  useful  as 
sliowiug  what  our  countrymen  have  to  put  up 
-\\dth  at  the  hands  of  the  Boers.  In  Pretoria  a 
Dutchman  can  purchase  abuikling  stand  of  26,400 
feet  square  subject  to  a  taN  of  1/.  10.<?.  For  the 
same  site  an  inhabitant  of  Johannesburg  has  to 
pay  a  tax  of  45/.  The  poll-tax  in  Pretoria  is 
3.b\  Qd.  ;  in  Johannesburg  it  is  ISs.  QJ.  The 
Sanitary  Board  tax  in  Johannesljurg,  on  a 
property  value  5000/.,  amounts  to  41/.  ISs.  4(/.  ; 
in  Pretoria  there  is  no  such  tax.  The  sanitary 
fees  in  Pretoria  are  13/.  lO.v.,  in  Johannesburg 
17/.  lO.y.  In  Pretoria  there  are  no  water-rates,  in 
Johannesburg  the  water-rates  on  a  pro^jerty  of 
5000/.  value  amount  to  48/.  The  result  of  these 
taxation  arrangements  is  that  a  Dutchman  in 
Pretoria,  owning  a  jiroperty  value  5000/.,  pays  in 
rates  and  taxes  15/.  S-s.  6(7.,  an  Englishman  in 
Johannesburg  owning  a  simihir  property  pays  in 
rates  and  taxes  15o/.  Ix.  10 J.  This  system  of 
taxation,  so  inequitable,  so  audacious,  soim2)udeut, 
cannot  be  expected  to  endure.  Pretoria,  with  a 
population  of  6000,  mainly  Dutch,  is  maintained 
at  the  expense  of  Johannesburg,  witli  a  pojDulation 
of  15,000,  mainly  English.  The  latter,  when  it  ]ias 
time  to  give  its  attention  to  nuuiicipal  as  well  as 
mining  matters,  Avill  demand  and  exact  a  thorough 
reform.  Two  years  at  the  least  will  probably 
elapse  before  Johannesburg,  a  town  Avliose  life  and 
groAvth  depend  on  the  construction  of  railways,  is 
properly  connected  with  the  sea-coast,  with  other 
South  African  towns,  or  even  with  all  of  its  own 


Astounding  Inequality  of  Taxation.      G'^ 

adjoining  coal-fields.^  Millions  of  tons  of  macliinerv, 
of  coal,  of  j^rovisions,  of  all  necessaries  of  life, liaAc 
had  to  be  dragged  over  liimdreds  of  miles  of 
lii'ound  in  o-roanino;  overladen  waa'ii'ons  bv  ex- 
liausted,  half-starved  oxen.  In  snch  a  condition 
of  things,  one  might  have  thought  that  the  most 
simj^le  and  inexjDerienced  Government  could,  at 
least,  have  maintained  decent  highway  communi- 
cation. Yet  the  ti'acks  ai'e  the  worst  in  the 
world,  in  many  places  almost  im|)assable  at  the 
best  jDeriod  of  the  year,  totally  imjjassaljle  in  the 
Avet  season.  A  comparatively  small  expenditure 
Avould  suffice  to  render  traffic  possible,  and  even 
easy.  The  loss  of  life  among  oxen,  the  ^vqiw  and 
tear  and  damage  suffered  l^y  and  done  to  "wheeled 
AX'hicles  on  account  of  these  aAvftil  and  even 
perilous  tracks,  the  loss  sustained  by  a  system  of 
transit  too  dilatory  and  tedious  for  description, 
must  Iju  incalculable,  and  certainly  vastly  exceeds 
the  amount  requisite  for  the  maintenance  of 
proper  highways.  It  is,  I  believe,  the  fact  that 
repeated  applications  lia\'e  been  made  to  the 
President  for  money  to  be  spent  on  improving  or 
repairing  the  roads,  but  all  such  a})plications  arc 
vain.  The  President  replies  that  he  has  no  mone}' 
to  spend  on  such  things  as  roads,  that  the 
tracks  which  are  in  existence  Avere  made  by  and 
were  jxood  enouuli  for  the  forefathers  of  the  Boers, 

Since  this  was  written  a  railway  convention  has  been  con- 
cluded  betAveeu  Cape  Colany  and  the  Transvaal,  under  Avhich 
the  railway  will  be  extended  to  Johannesburg  before  the  close 
of  1892. 


64  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  jn  South  Africa. 

and  are  therefore  more  than  good  enough  for  the 
present  day.  The  perverse  simplicity  of  these  Boers 
is  inconceivable,  but  to  it  there  attaches  a  dark  stain. 
Corruption,  it  is  openly  and  publicly  asserted  in 
the  23ress,  in  public  speeches,  and  in  society,  sways 
violently  and  malignantly  Government  circles.  The 
vicious  system  of  concessions  abounds.  D}'nainite, 
an  article  of  prime  necessity  in  a  mining  country,lias 
been  made  the  subject  of  a  monojDoly,  and  granted 
to  an  individual  A\'ho,  for  considerations  unknoAvn, 
is  entitled  to  exclude  all  other  dynamite  from  the 
country  but  his  own,  and  receives  a  royalty  of 
12.i'.  6(/.  a  ton  on  all  his  own  dynamite  Ayliich  is 
consumed.  To  such  a  pitch  has  the  policy  of  con- 
cession been  carried,  that  I  am  informed  that 
quite  recently  an  individual  a2)plied  to  the  Govern- 
ment for  a  concession  to  grant  concessions,  and 
that  the  proposition  was  gravely  and  seriously 
considered,  but  has  not  yet  been  accepted. 
If  this  country  had  been  in  tlie  hands  of  the 
English  or  the  Americans  it  would  probably  now 
be  peopled  by  some  millions  of  Europeans,  would 
be  giving  forth  every  variety  in  inexhaustible 
(juantities  of  vegetalile,  animal,  and  mineral 
produce,  would  be  intersected  by  railways  and 
canals — in  a  word,  it  might  be  the  most  wealthy 
and  prosperous  spot  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 
But  Providence  has  cursed  it  with  the  rule  ol" 
50,000  Boers,  and  ibi-  a  time,  but  I  expect  only  for 
a  time,  it  is  destined  still  to  huiguish. 


The  Robinson  Gold  Mine  at  Johannesburg.    65 


CHAPTER  V. 

MINING    AND    SPoimNG. 

Account  of  the  Eobinsou  Gold  Mine  at  Johannesburg — The 
Langlaate  Estate  —  Clilorination  at  the  Ferriera  Mme — 
Dr.  Simon — The.McArthiir- Forrest  process — Observations 
on  the  gold-fiekis  of  Johannesburg — Silver  Mines  in 
the  Transvaal — Deer  preserves — With  Dog  and  Gun  in 
search  of  Game. 

Of   all  the   o'old  mines  roimd  JohaniieslDuro-  the 
Robinson  mine  is  the  most  remarkable  for  its  size 
both  in  respect   of  area  and  capital  invested,  for 
the  high  average  richness  of  its  ore,  for  the  enter- 
jDrise  and  method  of  its  management.     This  mine 
was  originall}^  bonglit    by  a  small  svnclicate  for 
less    than    20,000/.     In    1888,    a    company   was 
formed  to  work  it,  with  a  capital  of  2,700,000/. 
The  company  possesses  a  "  myn  pacht,"  or  mining- 
lease,  of  about  200   acres,  containing  some   sixty 
mining   claims.     Three    distinct   reefs   are    beinir 
worked  at  different  levels,  the  main  reef  leader, 
the  middle  reef,  and  the  south  reef.     The  latter 
has   hitherto    afforded    the    richest    results.     The 
deepest  level  now  being  developed  is  about  500 
feet  below  the  surface,  and  it  has  been  found  by 
assay,  l^ut  not  yet  confirmed  by  practical  crushing, 
that  the  ore  at  this  depth  maintains  its  richness. 
There    are    about    five     miles    of     underground 
workings,  mostly  illuminated  by  the  electric  light. 

F 


66  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


The  ore,  which  near  the  surface  of  the  ground  is 
a  friable  conglomerate,  free  from  pyrites,  becomes 
at  the  deeper  levels  hard  conglomerate  rock, 
almost  impervious  to  the  ordinary  drill  and 
hammer  worked  liy  manual  labour,  and  highly 
pyritic.  These  two  qualities  have  necessitated  the 
installation  of  American  air-drilling  machinery  of 
such  power  as  to  be  capable  of  drilling  a  hole  four 
feet  deep  into  the  rock  in  fifteen  minutes,  which  a 
native  would  be  luiable  to  complete  working  an 


General  view  of  the  Robinson  Gold  Mines  at  Johannesburg:. 


entire  day.  The  abundant  presence  of  pyrites 
compels  the  chemical  treatment  of  the  concen- 
trates and  tailings,  the  stamps  alone  being  unable 
to  extract  more  than  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  gold. 
The  Mc Arthur-Forrest  process,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  treatment  of  the  ore  by  cyanide  of  potassium, 
is  being  tried  upon  the  tailings,  and  a  chlorination 
plant  is  being  installed  for  the  treatment  of  the 
concentrates.  It  is  too  soon  to  pronounce  upon 
the  respective  merits  of  these  processes,  and  it  is 
possible  that  the  ex^^ense  per  ton  may  be  greater 


A  Profitable  Enterprise.  6^ 

than  would  admit  of  appreciable  profit.^  Here 
and  there  in  the  deeper  levels  pockets  of  ore  of 
extraordinary  richness  are  found.  I  have  before 
nie  as  I  write  a  specimen  taken  from  such  a  pocket 
estimated  by  assay  to  produce  a  thousand  ounces 
to  the  ton.  This  is  probably  an  exaggerated 
estimate.  Another  specimen  has  been  estimated 
to  produce  twent}'-eiglit  ounces  to  the  ton.  The 
average  yield  of  the  ore  in  the  deeper  levels  "\vill 
probably  be  found  to  l^e  a  little  under  two  ounces 
per  ton.  The  entire  gold  production  of  the 
Robinson  mine  since  the  commencement  of  the 
year  1889  up  to  July  1891,  a  period  of  a  little 
more  than  two  years,  may  l)e  stated  in  round 
figures  at  100,000  tons  of  ore,  realizing  200,000 
ounces  of  gold,  in  value  from  six  to  eight  hundred 
thousand  pounds.  Upon  the  enormous  capital 
the  directors  declared  for  the  year  1889  a  dividend 
of  five  per  cent.,  and  for  the  year  1890  four  per 
cent.  They  spent  moreover  out  of  earnings  on  the 
development  of  the  mine,  and  on  new  machinery, 
an  amount  e(j[ual  to  these  dividends.  From 
October,  1891,  when  the  additional  twenty  stamps 
have  been  erected,  making  a  total  of  sixty  stamps, 
when  the  rock-drilling  machinery  is  at  work  and 
the  chlorination  plant  set  up,  the  manager  expects 
to  get  from  crushings  from  8500  to  9000  ounces 
of  gold  per  month.-     There  are  employed  in  the 

'  Since  the  above  was  written  both  the  processes  mentioned 
have  been  worked  at  a  good  profit, 

-  The  returns  of  the  crusliings  at  the  Kobinson  mine  for  the 
month  of  January,  1S92,  showed  a  production  of  nearly  12,000 
ounces  of  gold, 

F   2 


68  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Robinson  mine  130  Europeans  and  about  900 
native  workmen.  The  AYages  paid  to  Europeans 
rano-e  high ;  carpenters  receive  from  5/.  to  5/.  10.s\ 
a  week,  skilled  mechanics  and  blacksmiths  receive 
6/.  a  week.  Strange  to  say,  in  spite  of  these  high 
Avages,  the  white  Avorkmen  are  constantly  leaving 
their  employment  and  going  off  to  Mashonaland. 
The  directors  find  it  more  and  more  difficult  to 
obtain  skilled  labour,  and  there  aj^pears  to  be, 
both  at  this  mine  and  generally  all  over  the 
Randt,  a  most  promising  opening  for  young 
English  mechanics  and  miners.  The  cost  of  living 
AYould  probably  exceed  the  cost  of  living  in 
England,  but  the  high  Avages,  coupled  with 
dwellings  rent  free,  in  addition  to  a  magnificent 
climate,  appear  to  open  the  road  to  fortune.  The 
Robinson  mine  is  probably  one  of  the  finest  gold 
mines  in  the  Avorld,  but  it  is  overburdened  witli 
an  excessiA^e  capital  account,  which  before  long  it 
may  be  found  couA^enient  and  practicable  consider- 
ably to  reduce.  Situated  somewhat  to  the  Avest 
of  the  Robinson  Mine  is  the  Langlaate  Estate. 
This  company,  Avith  a  capital  of  450,000/.,  owns 
and  works  an  estate  held  in  freehold,  not  under  a 
mining  lease,  of  considerably  larger  area  than  that 
held  by  the  Robinson  Company.  The  main  and 
south  reefs  are  principally  Avorked,  but  the  average 
yield  does  not  exceed  15  dA\i;s.  to  the  ton.  There 
is,  hoAvcA^er,  an  enormous  quantity  of  this  ore  in 
sight,  and  the  excellent  management  enables  a 
good  profit  to  be  realized.  A  battery  of  120 
stamps   is   in   process   of  erection   on  this  mine, 


The  Cyanide  of  Potassium  Process.        6g 

which  is  23erhaps  the  best  developed  and  generally 
the  most  attractive  of  all  the  mines  in  the  Randt. 
The  Ferreira  Mine,  adjoining  the  Robinson,  is 
justly  celebrated  for  its  splendid  milling  plant  and 
machinery,  and  for  its  economical  and  skilful 
administration.  The  mine  consists  of  about  hfteen 
claims,  yielding,  on  an  average,  nearly  one  ounce 
to  the  ton.  The  concentrates  and  tailings  of  this 
mine,  when  properly  treated,  are  expected  to 
produce  a  considerably  additional  yield.  Here 
has  been  installed  a  very  perfect  assav  and  smelt- 
ing plant  and  laboratory.  By  the  courtesy  of  the 
very  skilful  gentleman  in  charge  of  this  depart- 
ment, Dr.  Simon,  I  was  enabled  to  follow  the 
beautiful  process  of  the  treatment  of  pyrites  by 
chlorine  gas.  The  pyrites  are  roasted  previously 
to  treatment,  becoming  extremely  friable,  losing 
the  suliDliur  which  they  contain,  freeing  the  gold, 
and  rendering  it  accessible  to  the  attractions  of 
chlorine.  In  the  McArthur-Forrest  process,  or 
the  cyanide  of  potassium  process,  the  tailings  do 
not  require  to  be  roasted,  the  expense  of  treatment 
being  thereby  considerably  reduced,  l3ut  it  is 
asserted  that  the  McArthur-Forrest  j^rocess  is  only 
available  for  the  treatment  of  tailings  "where  the 
gold  is  free,  and  that  it  produces  no  appreciable 
results  when  treating  pyritic  concentrates.^  In 
the  simple  chlorination  process  the  pyrites  having 
been  roasted   (sufficiently  to  make  them  porous, 

^  This  statement,  Avliich  was  made  on  the  authority  of 
Dr.  Simon^  is  altogetlier  denied  by  the  representatives  of  tlie 
McArthur-Forrest  process. 


70  Mp:n,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

but  with  a  slow  heat  in  order  not  to  smelt  them), 
are  placed  in  a  vessel  upon  a  filter  composed  of 
jDOwdered  quartz  and  glass.  The  chlorine  gas  is 
produced  in  another  vessel  by  combining  man- 
ganese and  hydrochloric  acid.  It  is  then  passed 
through  water  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  hydro- 
chloric acid,  and  it  is  then  jDassed  through  sul- 
phuric acid  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  water  which 
it  may  have  taken  up.  It  finally  penetrates 
through  the  filter  descril)ed  above,  to  the  pp'ites 
in  the  condition  of  pure  chlorine  gas.  In  a  fcAv 
hours  the  chlorine  combines  with  the  gold  in  the 
pyrites,  and  becomes  chloride  of  gold.  This 
chloride  then  treated  with  sulphate  of  iron,  the 
gold  is  innnediately  precipitated  in  the  shape  of 
a  black  powder  I'eadv  for  smelting.  The  pi'ocess 
when  conducted  and  viewed  in  a  laboratory  is 
very  l)eautiful  and  Avonderful.  Other  mines 
claiming  attention,  and  either  now  or  in  process  of 
becoming  valuable  properties,  are  the  ''  Simmer 
and  Jack,'  the  "  Jumpers,"  and  the  "  Salisbury," 
all  of  which  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  in- 
specting. Speaking  generally  about  this  gold- 
field,  it  may  be  remarked  :  (1)  The  ore,  when  first 
discovered  near  the  surface,  was  free-milling  ore, 
easily  treated,  and  yielding  in  places  from  tM'o  or 
three  up  to  as  much  as  eight  ounces  to  the  ton. 
Small  batteries  originallv  produced  striking- 
results,  the  managers  being  able  to  pick  and 
choose  those  parts  of  the  reef  where  the  ore  was 
richest.  Since  that  time  larger  stamp  batteries 
have  been   everywhere   erected,  the  easily-treated 


The  Gold-Fields  of  Johannesburg.        71 


rich  free-milling  ore  has  become  or  is  becomino- 
rapidly  exhausted,  and   most,   if  not  all,  of  the 
mines  have  now  before  them  an  almost  inexhaus- 
tible quantity  of  hard  conglomerate  rock,  yielding, 
when  treated  as  a  whole  and  indiscriminately,  a 
considerably  lower  averao-e  of  o:old,  and  to  extract 
the  gold  from  which,   with  any  prospect  of  fair 
profit,  requires  the  most  ingenious  and  elaborate 
appliances  and  the  most  skilful  and    economical 
administration.     (2)    In    the    early    days    of   the 
Randt  gold-field  folly  and  fraud  reigned  supreme. 
The  directors  and  managers  were,  as  a  rule,  con- 
spicuous  for   their  ignorance    on  all   matters    of 
23ractical  mining.     The   share    market  was    their 
one  and  only  consideration,  the  development  and 
proper  working  of  the   mine  being  in  many  cases 
absolutely  neglected.     I  was  sho"\\TQ  the  other  day 
the  Grahamstown  Mine,  which,  possessing  only  a 
claim  and  a  quarter,  was   palmed    ofi"  upon    the 
public  with   a   capital    of   120,000/.     This   mine, 
though  situated   on  the  main  reef,  unfortunately 
struck  upon    a    spot  where    the   reef  was    inter- 
sected by  a  thick  dyke  of  clay,  and  it  is  scarcely 
an  exaggeration  to  say  that  hardly  an  ounce  of 
ii'old    ever    has    rewarded    or    will    reward    the 
victimized  shareholders.     (3)  But  this  case  is  by 
no  means  unique.     Millions  of  money  have  been 
literally   thrown    away.     Bad    machinery    badly 
put   up   has  l)een    badly  situated,  l^adly  worked. 
Many  of  the  mines  are  at  a  standstill  for  want  of 
capital,  and    most    of  them,  so    eminent   experts 
assure    me,    are    sadly    behindhand    with    their 


^2  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


development  in  view  of  the  vast  plant  which  has 
been  erected.  A  healthier  tone  and  spirit  now 
prevail,  the  work  of  reorganization,  of  reducing 
capital  and  working  expenses,  proceeds  apace. 
Unskilful  managers  and  incompetent  directors  are 
being  got  rid  of,  either  by  the  efforts  of  share- 
holders or  of  far-sighted  men,  and  viewing  the 
extent  and  nature  of  the  reefs  it  is  safe  to  predict 
that  the  Randt  is  on  the  high  road  to  become 
the  o-reatest  sold-field  of  the  world.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  in  addition  to  all  the  diffi- 
culties and  obstacles  which  I  have  described 
above,  and  which  the  gold-fields  have  had  to 
encounter  and  overcome,  must  be  reckoned  the 
most  stupid,  selfish,  and  incompetent  Government 
which  ever  afflicted  a  community  or  a  country. 
The  Transvaal  possesses  everything  which  man 
can  desire  for  comfort,  luxury,  and  general  j^ros- 
perity.  An  unequalled  climate,  a  soil  of  exuberant 
fertility,  mines  of  gold,  silver,  coal,  and  iron,  all 
of  great  richness :  the  Boers  in  their  stubborn  and 
mulish  ignorance  have  resolved  that,  so  far  as  in 
them  lies,  none  of  this  great  wealth  shall  be  taken 
advantage  of  and  developed.  In  a  country  Avliere 
millions  of  acres  might  produce  millions  of  quarters 
of  grain,  only  comparatively  a  few  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  acres  produce  Indian  corn.  In  a 
country  where  the  storage  of  ^vater  and  irrigation 
works  offer  little  difficulty  either  to  the  engineer 
or  to  the  exchequer,  no  systematic  storage  of 
water  is  attempted.  Yet  the  presence  of  water 
everywhere  within  a  few  feet  of  the  surface  of  the 


The  Silver  Mines  of  the  Tkansvaal.      73 

soil,  and  the  long  period  of  winter  drought,  would 
seem  to  render  such  storage  of  water  and  such 
irrigation  works  imperative.  In  a  country  desti- 
tute of  trees,  bat  which  nevertheless  might  after 
a  feAv  years'  care  and  industry  be  covered  with 
forests  of  various  and  valuable  timber,  not  an 
effort  at  tree  planting  is  made  except  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  gold  mines.  In  a  country 
where  for  the  develo]3ment  of  its  mineral  resources 
the  rapid  construction  of  railways  is  essential,  and 
where  the  physical  conhguration  of  the  ground 
and  other  causes  marvellously  facilitate  such  con- 
struction, the  same  stubborn  ignorance,  the  same 
mulish  folly  before  alluded  to,  has  successfully 
delayed  and  still  delays  any  such  railway  con- 
struction. 

In  the  foregoing  pages  I  have  spoken  of  the 
silver  mines.  These  are  situated  some  forty  miles 
to  the  east  of  Johannesburg,  and  are  of  very 
recent  discovery.  The  history  of  them  is  sonie- 
Avhat  remarkable.  A  company  was  formed  to 
Avork  them  with  a  capital,  I  believe,  of  about  a 
quarter  of  a  million.  The  affair  was  probaljly  a 
fraud,  the  money  was  mostly  wasted,  little  Avas 
found,  nothing  was  done,  and  the  silver  mines  of 
the  Transvaal  fell  into  disrepute  and  disfavour. 
Some  person  or  persons,  however,  discovered  on 
the  propert}'  specimens  of  ore  of  singular  richness. 
These  being  brought  to  gentlemen  possessing  ex- 
perience and  capital,  were  pronounced  by  them  to 
be  good  silver  ore.  A  small  syndicate  was  soon 
formed,  shares  of  the  old  company  were  quickly 


74  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

bought  up,  new  capital  was  expended,  the  reef 
has  been  opened  up  and  developed  and  ascertained 
to   be   of   o-reat   extent    and    fair   richness.     The 
average  yield  of  the  ore  has  been  estimated  by 
assay  to  be  about  30oz.  of  silver  to  the  ton.     In 
some  places,  however,  it  reaches  the  high  average 
of  from  200  oz.  to  300  oz.  to  the  ton.     It  also  con- 
tains about  30  per  cent,  of  lead.     I  am  informed 
l)v  experts  that  the  geological  formation  of  these 
ore  deposits  is  peculiar,  the  presence  in  abundance 
of  carbonate  of  iron  and  the   almost  total  absence 
of   zinc  and  of    any  excess    of    silica    rendering- 
smelting  very  easy.     At  present  some  diificulty 
in  working  this  ore  at  a  profit  may  arise  from  the 
necessity  of  having  to  use   for  smelting  imported 
coke  at  the  cost  of  some  15/.  a  ton.  In  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  coal  mines  are  being  worked,  but 
it  is  doubtful  whether  this  coal  can  be  manufac- 
tured into    coke   sufficiently    good    for    smelting 
pui'poses.     It  is  known,  however,  that  there  exist 
hard  by  beds  of  superior  coal,  and  great  hopes  are 
entertained  that  sufficientlv  good  coke  may  be  pro- 
duced upon    the    spot.      Silver    reefs    appear  to 
abound  on  the  properties  adjoining  that  of  the 
Transvaal    Silver    Mines   Company ;    one  or  two 
small  syndicates  have  been   formed  to  acquire  and 
develop  these  properties,  and  it  is  quite  possible 
that  the  silver  mines  of  the  Transvaal  may  become 
a    larger,    a   more    imi:)ortant,    a    more    valuable 
industry  than  even  the  gold  mines  of  the  Randt. 
I  made,    in  company  with  some  friends,  a   very 
interesting  and  pleasant  expedition  to  these  silver 


With  Dog  and  Gun.  75 


mines,  and  the  incidents  of  the  journey  lead  me  to 
offer  a  few  remarks  upon  the  presence  of  game  and 
the  prosjDects  of  sport  in  the  Transvaal.     My  friend 
and  I,  who  were  naturally  not  competent  to  form 
any  practical  judgment  on  mining  values,  took  with 
us  our  guns  and  dogs  in  order  to  while  away  the  time 
during  Avhich  the  engineers  and  experts  would  be 
at  work.     Not  very  many  years  ago  these  wide 
and  grassy  j)lains  abounded  with  game  of  almost 
every  description.     Persons  whose  word  can    be 
imj^licitly  relied    upon  have    informed    me    that 
within  the  last  fifteen  years  they  can  remember 
these  plains  being  covered  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach    with    countless     thousands    of   wildebeest, 
blesbok,  springbok,  and  other  varieties  of  the  deer 
and  antelope  tril^es.     So   desolate  and  lifeless  is 
the  appearance  of  these  i^lains  now  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  credit  the  assertion.     It  happened,  how- 
ever, unfortunately    lor  the  s23ortsman,   that  not 
long  ago  the  demand  for  hides  was  considerable, 
and  the  wise,  prudent,  and  intelligent  Boer  im- 
mediately set  to  work  and    slaughtered  Avithout 
discrimination  every  wild  four-footed  animal.     So 
reckless  and  ruthless  was  the  slaughter  that  these 
Boer  sportsmen  (?)  never  cared  to  carry  home  the 
animals  they  had  slain.     Forming  themselves  into 
large  shooting  parties,  they  shot  the  beasts  down 
everywhere  by  scores,  l)y  hundreds,  and  by  thou- 
sands, leaving  the  carcases  to  be  devoured  by  the 
vultures,   and    going    a    few    days    afterwards  to 
gather  up  the  skins  which  the  vultures  had  neg- 
lected, and  which  the   sun  had  dried  and  tanned. 


^6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

l^ow  the  traveller  can  compass  mile  after  mile  of 
plain  without  seeing  so  much  as  a  solitary  buck. 
In  a  few  places,  however,  attempts  are  made  to 
resuscitate    and    preserve    the    blesbok    and    the 
springbok.     On  an   estate  of    some   80,000   acres 
belonging  to  Messrs.  Marks  and   Co.,  situated  on 
the  Vaal  river,  about  forty  miles  south  of  Pretoria, 
there  has  been  raised   a  herd   of  a  few  hundred 
springbok,   which  are    carefully   preserved.      On 
another  estate  not  far  off,  near  Paritj,  belonging 
to  Mr.  Koetze,  some  thousands  of  blesbok  are  to 
be  found,  and  are  carefully  preserved.     These  two 
examples  sho^v  what  might  be  done  in  the   way 
of  preservation  of  deer  if,   not   only  as   regards 
this,   but    also    as  regards   nianv    other   matters, 
God   had    only   given    a   glimmer   of  intelligence 
to  the  Boer.      For   it  must  be  remembered  that 
these  animals  are  fairly  profitable  to  keep,  both 
their  meat  and  their  hides  being  in  some  demand. 
Over   the   whole   Transvaal,  however,  little   now 
remains  to  the  sjJortsman  beyond  feathered  game. 
This  exists  in  respectable  quantity  and  variety, 
but  the  expanse  of  plain  is  so  vast  that  the  game 
is  greatly  scattered,  and  the  sportsman  must  often 
walk  far  and  long  before  he  is  rewarded  by  a  shot. 
On  the  grassy  veldt  will  be  found  more  than  one 
kind  of  magnificent  crane  ;  the  pauw  or  greater 
bustard  may  sometimes  ])e  secured  with  a  small- 
bore rifle ;    the  koran  or  lesser  l)ustard  is  moi'(^ 
numerous ;  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening  his 
discordant  call  may  constantly  be  heard,  and  in 
anything  like   decent  cover  he  is   easily  secured 
Avith  a  shot  gun.     Scattered  aljout  the  veldt  are 


Shooting  the  Game.  77 

"pans"  of  water,  siirroimded  by  reeds  and  rushes, 
^vhere  wild-fowl  may  often  be  seen  in  considerable 
numbers,    but    generally    difficult    to    approacli ; 
^\'liile  along  the  "  spruits  "  and  in  swampy  places, 
sni23e  of  more  than  one  variety  at  certain  times  of  the 
year  abound.     In  the  neighbourhood  of  cultivated 
grounds,  of  homesteads,  and  of  gardens  coveys  of 
red  partridges  are  frequently  met  with  ;    and   in 
certain  sj)ots  quails  may  be  said  to  swarm  at  the 
proper  period  of  the  year.     The  sportsman,  how- 
ever, will  have  to  work  very  hard  and  shoot  very 
straight  to  make  up  what  to  an  Englishman  would 
appear  a  respectable  bag.     My  friend  and  I,  shoot- 
ing for  two  days  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  silver 
mines,   obtained    the    following  singularly  varied 
but  somewhat  scanty  bag,  nor  do  I  think  that  the 
scantiness  could  be  fairly  attributed  to  any  exces- 
sively unskilful  shooting:  three   snipe,  ten  quail, 
six   duck,  one  wild  goose,  seven  i^artridges,  five 
koran,  three  plover,  four  pigeons,  one  eagle,  and 
five  bitterns. 

At  this  time  I  was  enabled  by  the  kindness  of 
Messrs.  Marks  to  make  a  shooting  expedition  to 
the  estate  before  alluded  to,  which  is  carefully  pre- 
served, and  where  shooting  is  seldom  allowed. 
Our  party  consisted  of  four  guns,  and  we  remained 
on  the  estate  for  four  days.  The  weather  was 
perfect ;  cool,  and  even  frosty  nights,  bright  and 
warm  days  with  refreshing  breezes.  We  camped 
out  on  the  veldt,  sleeping  in  a  bell  tent.  The 
method  of  living,  though  rough  and  ready,  was 
rendered  enjoyable  by  the  presence  of  a  French 
cook,  who  skilfully  treated  us  in  the  evening  with 


78  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

the  different  varieties  of  game  we  had  secured  in 
the  day.  In  the  morning,  up  before  daybreak, 
mounted  on  well-trained  ponies,  we  chased  the 
springbok  emerging  from  the  cultivated  land  on  to 
the  veldt,  galloping  as  near  to  them  as  the  fleet- 
ness  of  our  horses  would  permit,  generally  about 
400  yards,  dismounting,  rapidly  firing  a  snappy 
chancey  shot,  then  remounting  and  after  them 
again,  getting,  perhaps,  two  or  three  more  shots, 
and  so  on  until  the  herd  had  galloped  far  away 
out  of  range.  This  method  of  shooting  deer 
requires  much  habit  and  experience,  and  much 
good  fortune.  Only  two  springbok  rewarded  our 
efforts,  neither  of  which,  I  must  confess,  fell  to 
my  rifle.  The  chase,  however,  is  in  itself  ex- 
citing, the  gallop  across  the  veldt  in  the  cool 
morning  air  indescribably  exhilarating,  and  the 
effect  of  it  is  to  make  breakfast  a  widely  different 
and  far  more  agreeable  meal  than  one  knows  it  to 
be  at  home.  After  breakfast  the  shot  guns  are 
resorted  to,  and  likely  places  are  hunted  over  by 
pointers  and  setters,  or  beaten  by  "  l)oys,"  after 
the  partridge,  the  koran,  or  the  quail.  In  the 
evening,  thoroughly  wearied  out,  the  dinner  table 
and  the  camp  fire  are  found  to  he  real  luxuries, 
and  nine  o'clock  would  see  us  huddled  up  in  our 
bell  tent,  and  sleeping  that  slumber  which  only 
the  satisfied  sportsman  knows.  A  description  of 
the  bag  may  be  of  interest :  four  duck,  fifty  par- 
tridge, four  hares,  250  quail,  eight  koran,  eleven 
snipe,  one  dikkop,  one  wild  turkey,  one  blue  crane, 
and  two  springbok. 


A  Chance  for  British  Enterprise.        79 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE     TRANSVxVAL    BOERS. 

A  chance  for  British  enterprise — The  capacity  of  the  Transvaal 
and  the  incapacity  of  its  rulers — The  journey  from  Johan- 
nesburg to  Pretoria — Description  of  Pretoria— The  Dutch 
Parliament — From  the  Strangers'  Gallery — An  interview 
with  President  Kruger — Parliamentary  manners— General 
Joubert — Keport  of  a  case  showing  the  Boer  idea  of  jus- 
tice— Illtreatment  of  Natives  by  the  Boers — Shall  we 
surrender  Swaziland — The  AVithering  Grasp  of  the  Boer. 

No  English  traveller  who  deserves  and  reflects 
can  leave  Johannesburg  and  not  desire  that  the 
merits  of  this  town  and  its  many  attractions  might 
he  made  known  to  and  appreciated  by  the  Englisli 
people.  Here  almost  every  description  of  British 
enterprise  and  skill  may  find  a  promising  opening. 
The  accountant,  the  young  clerk  who  has  received 
a  good  commercial  education,  the  skilled  mechanic, 
the  farmer,  the  market  gardener,  the  miner,  the 
agricidtural  labourer,  will  all  find  themselves  in 
demand.  A  comparatively  small  capital,  ranging 
from  10/.  to  50Z.,  would  probably  be  found  suffi- 
cient to  start  these  different  descriptions  of  labour 
on  their  road  to  fortune,  relatively,  of  course,  to 
the  employment  which  they  select,  and  to  the 
education  which  they  have  received.  Domestic 
service  also  offers  a  most  favourable  field.  Scarcelv 
anything  is  requisite  for  success  beyond  steady- 
and  temperate  habits,  and  an  industrious  and  versa- 
tile disposition.  I  have  come  across  more  than 
one  young  Englishman,  who,  coming  out  here  at 


So  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

an  early  age,  with  hardly  a  penny  at  his  disposal, 
finds  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  in  possession 
of  what   may   be   accurately   termed    a    fortune. 
Now,  probably,  is  the  moment  for  an   emigrant. 
In  two  years'  time  or  so  a  railroad  communication 
between   Johannesl^urg   and   the  coast  will   have 
been  established,  and  although  by  the  establish- 
ment of  such  communication,  all  vested  interests 
from  the   highest  to   the   lowest,    corporate   and 
individual  alike,  will  be  enormously  increased  in 
value,  the  labour  market  will  become  more  fully 
stocked,  and   the  comj)etition    for  existence  pro- 
portionately harder.     It  can  hardly  be  a  matter 
for   doubt   that  the   gold-fields   of  Johannesburg- 
are  destined  to  attract  and  support  a  population 
which   will   ultimately    dominate    and    rule   the 
Transvaal.     Xot  only   is   it  certain  that  there  is 
gold  ore  practically  in  sight  sufficient  to  occupy 
the  energies  of  a  mining  plant  far  larger  than  that 
which  now  exists  for  one  or  two  generations,  but 
the  many  wants  of  a  mining  population   where 
wealth  is   easily   and  largely  gained,    and  where 
luxury  and  free  expenditure  become  a  habit,  offer 
to  every  variety  of  commercial  enterprise  promis- 
ing prospects.     The  mere  feeding  of  such  a  popu- 
lation will  be  a  work  of  great  ^^rofit.     All  over 
the  Transvaal,  and  especially  around  Johannesburg, 
the  well-watered   and   yet  easily-drained  valleys 
j)ossess  a  soil  of  astonishing  fertility,  which  with 
ordinary  skiU  and  care  could  produce  abundant 
crops  of  almost  every  grain,  every  vegetable,  and 
every  fruit.     Whether  for  housebuilding,  for  use 


The  Loss  of  the  Transvaal.  8i 

in  mines,  or  for  common  tiI■e^vood,  the  plantation 
of  trees  proposes  to  a  landowner  munificent  re- 
muneration. Such  is  the  geniality  of  the  climate, 
such  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  that  many  kinds 
of  useful  and  valuable  trees  are  estimated  by 
competent  authority  to  make  a  growth  of  no 
less  than  ten  feet  in  tlie  course  of  a  year. 
For  the  independence  of  the  Transvaal  Boers  it 
^vas  truly  a  most  fortunate  circumstance  that  the 
discovery  of  the  gold-helds  succeeded  rather  than 
preceded  the  restoration  of  Boer  independence  in 
1881.  Had  Johannesburg,  with  its  present  popu- 
lation, its  present  possessions,  and  its  present 
prospects,  existed  at  the  time  of  the  Transvaal 
AVar,  it  never  Avould  have  been  suft'ered  to  |)ass 
away  from  the  dominion  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment. I  adhere  to  the  opinion  I  expressed  in  a 
former  letter  that  the  restoration  of  Dutch  inde- 
pendence was  necessary  if  not  essential  to  the 
peaceful  government  of  the  Cape  Colony,  but 
viewinir  the  Transvaal  as  it  is,  and  calculating 
what  it  might  be  if  its  possessors  and  i-ulers  were 
English,  one  cannot  but  lament  that  so  splendid  a 
territory  should  have  ceased  to  be  British.  The 
English  traveller,  according  to  his  disposition, 
must  be  sorrowful  or  indignant  when  he  considers 
the  contrast  which  is  afforded  by  the  capacity  of 
the  country  and  the  incapacity  of  its  present 
rulers.  The  natural  events  of  the  future  will 
probably  peacefully  retrieve  the  losses  occasioned 
by  the  errors  of  the  past.  The  gold-fields,  when 
connected    by    railways  with   the    coast,  will   be 

G 


82   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

crowded  iu  a  few  years'  time  with  thousands  of 
Enghshmeu,  wlio  will  impatiently  jerk  from  their 
shoulders  the  u'overnment  of  the  Boers.  These 
will  be  out-numbered,  absorbed,  or  scattered. 
Already  this  j^rocess  is  perceptibly  going  on.  All 
the  cai^ital  invested  in  the  Transvaal  is  foreign 
and  under  foreign  direction.  Such  is  also  the 
case  with  all  industry  other  than  pastoral ;  I 
was  informed  on  good  authorit\'  that  more  than 
three-fourths  of  the  land  itself  is  now  OA^oied  by 
foreigners.  The  days  of  the  Trans^'aal  Boers  as 
an  independent  and  distinct  nationalit}'  in  South 
Africa  are  numbered  ;  they  will  j^ass  a^vay  uii- 
honoui'cd,  unlamented,  scared}'  even  remembered 
either  by  the  native  or  l)y  the  European  settler. 
Having  had  gi^'en  to  them  great  possessions  and 
great  opportunities,  they  ^vill  be  ^T.'itten  of  onh' 
for  their  cruelty  to'wards  and  tyranny  over  the 
native  races,  their  fanaticism,  their  ignorance, 
and  their  selfishness ;  they  will  be  handed  down 
to  posterity  by  tradition  as  having  conferred  no 
single  benefit  upon  any  single  human  being,  not 
even  upon  themselves,  and  upon  the  pages  of 
African  history  they  will  leave  the  shadoAv,  but 
only  a  shadow,  of  a  dark  reputation  and  an  evil 
name. 

These  were  the  reflections  with  which  I 
journeyed  from  Johannesburg  to  Pretoria.  The 
road  traverses  a  rolling  veldt,  similar  to  the  other 
parts  of  the  Transvaal  which  I  have  visited.  Al- 
though a  highway  of  great  importance,  and 
crowded    wtih   traffic   of  one   kind  and  another. 


Pretoria.  83 

the  Transvaal  CTOverninent  allow  this  road  to  be 
niaintamed  m  a  condition  as  bad,  if  not  worse, 
than  that  of  any  other  highway  communication  in 
the  country.  Pretoria  lies  some  iive-and-thirty 
miles  to  the  north  of  Johannesburg.  Round 
Pretoria  the  veldt  becomes  more  broken,  and  the 
eye  is  pleased  at  having  its  range  of  vision  inter- 
rupted by  low  chains  of  hills,  among  which  are 
seen  pretty  dells  and  valleys  and  streams,  and 
some  appreciable  appearance  of  tree  and  bush. 
Fifteen    hundred   feet    less    than    Johannesburii" 

o 

above  the  level  of  the  sea,  lying  in  a  sheltered 
hollow,  Pretoria,  in  respect  of  climate,  is  far 
milder  and  more  genial  than  the  high  ridges 
of  the  gold-helds.  The  soil  of  Pretoria  is  of 
wonderful  fertility  lor  the  cultivation  of  vegetables, 
flowers,  and  trees.  Nearly  every  house  has  its 
garden,  and  every  garden  possesses  a  plentiful 
of  water.  The  white  population  numbers  under 
6000,  and  it  is  estimated  that  some  6000  natives 
also  inhabit  the  to'WTi.  It  bears  all  the  appear- 
ance of  a  town  in  its  infancy,  low  straggling 
cottages  and  shanty  residences  adjoining  stone  and 
brick  buildings  of  imposing  size.  The  Govern- 
ment buildings,  Avhicli  are  approaching  com- 
pletion, erected  in  a  French  style  of  architecture, 
are  distinctly  tine  and  good.  They  have  been 
built  at  a  cost  of  about  200,000/.  They  accom- 
modate all  the  Government  offices  and  the 
two  Chambers  of  the  Volksraad.  I  was 
present  at  one  of  the  sittings  of  the  Dutch 
Parliament,  and  observed  a  combination  of  pomp 

G  2 


84  Men,  Mines,  and  Aniimals  in  South  Africa. 

and  commonplace  which  was  somewhat  amusing. 
The  First  Chamber  (or  the  House  of  Commons) 
transact  their  business  in  a  lofty,  spacious,  and 
well-proportioned  hall  painted  in  red  and  green, 
the  national  colours,  decorated  with  the  arms  of 
the  South  African  Republic  largely  displayed,  and 
with  a  full-length  portrait  of  the  present  President. 
The  Chairman  is  seated  on  a  platform  which 
traverses  the  whole  length  of  the  hall.  On  his 
right  is  a  seat  for  the  President,  and  again  on  the 
ris'ht  of  the  President  are  seated  the  members  of 
the  Executive,  conspicuous  among  whom  was 
General  Joubert.  Below  on  another  platform  are 
seated  two  clerks  who  read  out  to  the  assembly 
the  orders  of  the  day  and  the  contents  of  bills, 
memorials,  or  petitions.  To  these  clerks  is  also 
confided  the  arduous  duty  of  taking  down  in 
shorthand  the  speeches  of  the  members.  On  the 
floor  of  the  hall  are  ranged  the  members,  seated 
at  three  long,  narrow,  parallel  tables,  slightly 
curved  in  the  form  of  a  horse-shoe.  Some  thirty 
members  were  present  while  I  was  there.  Coats 
and  hats  were  hung  up  round  the  wall ;  a  mes- 
senger or  doorkeeper,  in  a  sort  of  light  brown 
shooting  jacket,  heavy  walking  boots,  and  a  slouch 
felt  hat,  strolled  about  among  the  members,  and 
represented  to  my  mind  the  decorous  and  well- 
attired  officials  of  our  own  Parliament.  The 
members  speak  from  their  places  when  called  upon 
by  the  Chairman.  The  President  is  a  constant 
attendant,  and  takes  so  free  and  frequent  a  part  in 
the  debates,  that  the  jealousy  of  the  assembly  has 


Ti[R  Transvaal  Parliament.  85 

been  at  times  nroiised,  and  efforts  are  iVoiii  time 
to  time  made  to  restrain  tlie  eloquent  interference 
of  the  Head  of  the  State.  I  had  the  advantage  of 
liearing  several  speeches,  and  though  not  undei'- 
standing  the  Dutch  Language,  I  noticed  that  the 
speakers  combined  fluency  "with  brevity,  that  their 
manner  was  one  of  ease  and  of  dignitv,  their 
gesticulation  natural  and  free.  In  the  Second 
Chamber  I  heard  the  President  himself  take  part 
in  the  debate.  Three  times  he  spoke  with  much 
deliberate  composure,  but  by  no  means  without 
animation.  The  two  Chambers  sit  from  9  a.m.  to 
1  p.m.  and  from  2  p.m.  till  4  p.m.  They  adjourn, 
however,  for  a  few  minutes  every  hour,  for  the 
purposes  of  smoking  and  conversation.  During 
one  of  the  adjournments  of  the  Second  Chamber 
I  had  the  honour  of  being  presented  to  the  Presi- 
dent. His  Honour  is  a  gentleman  of  some  sixtv- 
flve  years  of  age,  tall,  and  rather  stout,  with  a 
grave,  shrewd,  1)ut  hj  no  means  unkindly  counte- 
nance. At  the  moment  of  adjournment  he  had  lit 
a  short  pipe,  at  which  he  puffed  hastily  and  im- 
petuously. Other  members  were  walking  about 
the  Chambers  also  smoking.  Some  of  these 
manners  the  English  Parliament  might  copy  with 
ii'reat  advantao;e.  His  Honour  was  o-ood  enouoh 
to  express  to  me  the  opinion  that  the  Boer  trek 
into  Mashonaland,  which  has  been  so  much  talked 
about,  would  give  rise  to  no  trouble  or  anxiety 
whatever,  but  that,  on  the  other  hand,  Boer 
settlers  in  Mashonaland  would  be  of  great  advan- 
tage and  assistance  to  the  Chartered  Company.     In 


86  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

answer  to  an  inquiry  from  me  his  Honour  also 
expressed  the  opinion  that  the  Matal^ele  would 
show  no  hostility  against  the  white  settlement  in 
Mashonaland  as  long  as  their  own  proper  country 
was  in  no  ^w^ay  interfered  with.  The  President's 
manner  was  extremely  gracious  and  genial,  and  it 
was  not  difficult,  after  only  a  few  minutes  of  con- 
versation with  him  and  of  ohservation  of  him,  to 
understand  the  great  and  strong  influence  which 
he  has  acquired  and  retained  over  his  countrymen. 
The  discussions  of  the  Volksraad  in  either  Chamher 
are  often  of  extreme  simplicity  and,  indeed,  frivo- 
lity. The  Second  Chamber  a  short  time  ago  dis- 
cussed at  length  with  much  gravity,  and  at  times 
with  some  heat  and  asperity,  the  question  of  how 
its  members  should  l^e  attired.  It  was  at  length 
resolved  that  a  tall  Avhite  hat,  white  tie,  and  black 
coat  should  be  the  prescribed  costume.  I  may  add 
that  this  Second  Chamber  has  only  recently  been 
created.  Its  members  are  elected  by  the  same  con- 
stituencies as  those  which  elect  the  First  Chamber. 
The  Boer  Constitution-mongers  having  brought 
this  political  infant  into  existence  were  exhausted, 
and  neglected  to  supply  it  with  powers,  rights,  or 
duties.  It  can  neither  initiate,  nor  alter,  nor  even 
review  les-islation.  Its  consent  is  not  souo-ht  for 
to  any  law,  neither  has  it  any  right  to  discuss  any 
question  of  expenditure,  nor  is  any  information 
given  to  it  as  to  expenditure.  In  its  present  form 
it  is  a  mere  debatino;  societv.  In  the  First 
Chamber  the  following  incident  occurred  the  other 
day :  Two  members,  Messrs.  Benkes  and  De  Beer, 


Parliamentary  Manners.  87 


who  sit  next  one  another,  have  the  weakness  to  be 
exceedingly  nervous  and  shy.  Immediately  after 
the  afternoon  opening,  at  2  p.m.,  Mr.  Benkes  dis- 
covered that  some  joker  had  put  ;t  dead  lizard 
among  his  papers.  Jumping  up  he  threw  the 
lizard  to  Mr.  De  Beer,  who  loudly  exclaimed, 
"  Ml'.  Chairman,  there  is  a  coiiolomander  here,"' 
and  ran  away.  The  Chairman  :  "  What  is  it  ?  "" 
Mr.  De  Beer:  "A  lizard,  Mr.  Chairman."  The 
Chairman  :  ''It  won't  bite  you,  it  is  dead."  Mr. 
De  Beer,  throwing  the  reptile  at  Mi*.  Benkes, 
"  Take  that."  The  Chairman  :  "  Order,  now  !  let 
us  proceed  with  the  ^^'ork.  Come  here,  messengei', 
and  take  that  lizard  away."  Mr.  De  Beer  then 
resumed  his  seat,  crying  to  Mr.  Benkes,  "  You 
A\-ere  more  afraid  than  I  was."'  The  President, 
with  difficulty  sometimes,  controls  and  gets  his 
way  with  these  asseml)lies.  In  old  days  he  was 
accustomed  to  awe  them  by  threats  of  his  resigna- 
tion in  case  they  did  not  agree  with  him.  This 
method  having  become  weak  by  over-use,  he  has 
hit  upon  a  new  device,  and  quite  recently  he  told 
the  meml:)ers  ^\dio  Avere  disputing  with  him  that  if 
they  did  not  yield  he  would  reduce  their  salaries. 
They  were  terrified  into  immediate  submission. 
It  mav  be  mentioned  that  the  members  of  either 
House  receive  a  salar\'  of  31.  per  diem  while  the 
Houses  are  in  Session.  The  President  receives  a 
salary  of  8000/.  a  year.  He  lives  very  quietly, 
never  entertains,  indeed,  he  never  gives  bite  or 
sup  to  a  soul.  He  is  reported  to  have  amassed  a 
large  fortune.     One  of  the  curiosities  of  the  Boer 


Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Constitution  which  should  be  noted  is,  that  during 
the  recess  of  Parliament  the  President  has  power 
of  his  own  authority  to  issue  proclamations  having 
the  force  of  law,  which  are,  and  remain,  valid  until 
the  meeting  of  the  First  Chamber,  when  they  are 
confirmed  or  disallowed.  Tliis  power,  which  obvi- 
ously is  open  to  the  greatest  abuse,  lias  been,  it  is 
asserted,  much  abused. 

General  Joubert  cumulates  in  himself  three 
distinct  ofiices — that  of  Commandant  of  the  Army, 
Minister  for  Native  Affairs,  and  member  of  the 
Executive  Government.  For  these  three  offices 
lie  receives  a  salary  of  3000/.  a  year.  Nearly 
all  tlie  offices  of  Go^'ernment  are  occupied  by 
Hollanders.  These  immigrants — "  Uitlanders,"  as 
they  are  called — are  disliked  by  the  old  Boer  and 
Africander  population.  They  are  pure  office- 
seekers,  without  any  sympathy  for  the  Boer, 
speaking  high  Dutch — a  language  "  not  under- 
standed  of  the  people,'"  and  are  justly  reputed  to 
be  as  ignorant  as  they  are  arrogant,  as  corrupt  as 
they  are  stupid.  The  Boer  idea  of  justice,  as 
between  Boer  and  native,  deserxes  remark.  I  read 
the  report  of  a  case  in  which  Adriaan  E.  de 
Lange,  a  Government  official,  belonging  to  a 
family  much  respected  in  the  district,  was  indicted 
for  having  caused  the  death  of  a  native  by  violence. 
It  appeared  that  in  November  last  a  Kaffir  accused 
of  theft  was  committed  to  the  care  of  De  Lange, 
the  assistant  Field-cornet  for  the  ward  of  Hooge- 
veldt,  to  be  lodged  in  the  Rustemburg  goal,  and 
that  before  reaching    the  latter  place  the  Kaffir 


Boer  Humanity.  89 

died  on  the  following  mornino;,  of  injuries  said  to 
have  been  inflicted  by  De  Lange.  When  De 
Lange  was  l^ronglit  before  the  magistrate  he  was 
committed  for  trial  on  the  charge  of  culpable 
homicide,  and  the  magistrate  refused  to  admit  him 
to  bail.  On  hearing  of  this,  the  Boer  farmers  in 
the  neighbourhood  assembled  in  such  numbers, 
and  assumed  such  a  menacing  attitude,  tliat  the 
maa;istrate  was  terrified  and  allowed  De  Lang-e  to 
go  out  on  bail.  From  the  medical  evidence  at  the 
trial  it  appeared  that  the  Kaffir  had  been  mal- 
treated in  a  frightful  manner,  the  bodv  being- 
covered  with  l)ruises  and  raw  j)laces  from  top  to 
toe.  He  had  also  received  internal  injuries  to  the 
lungs  and  to  the  stomach,  which  were  full  of  blood 
from  ruptured  blood  vessels  ;  the  kidneys  were 
severely  inflamed.  The  external  injuries,  the 
district  surgeon  stated,  must  have  been  caused 
partly  by  some  blunt  instrument,  such  as  a 
"  sjambok,"  and  partly  by  dragging  the  body 
along  the  ground  by  means  of  a  leather  strap 
Avhich  was  foiuid  attached  to  the  wrist.  There 
was  no  doubt  that  death  had  resulted  from  the 
injuries  inflicted.  The  chief  witness  for  the  prose- 
cution was  Jantje,  a  native  in  the  employ  of  a 
storekeeper,  who  deposed  that  De  Lange  had 
arrived  on  the  afternoon  of  November  12th  at  his 
master's  store  with  the  deceased  in  charge,  and 
that  at  De  Lange's  request  Jantje  was  told  by  his 
master  to  take  the  deceased  to  Rustemburg.  Ac- 
cording to  this  "svatness  many  sores  and  bruises 
were  visible   on  the  Kaffir  on  his  arriMil  at  the 


90   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

store.  Jantje  then  related  in  a  very  graphic 
manner  how  De  Lange  presently  overtook  him  as 
he  was  leading  the  unwilling  and  weary  prisoner 
alono-,  statins:  that  he  was  dissatisfied  with  his  slow 
jorogress.  De  Ijange,  after  getting  off  his  horse 
and  thrashing  the  deceased,  got  on  again,  and  b}- 
means  of  a  long  rein  fastened  to  the  hoy's  left 
Avrist,  dragged  him  along  the  road.  This,  he 
asserted,  De  Lange  repeated  many  times,  alter- 
nately dismounting  to  shower  blows  on  deceased 
with  his  "  sjambok,"  and  mounting  again  to  drag 
him  along  the  ground  by  the  rein  round  the  TVTist. 
Finally,  De  Lange,  after  kicking  deceased,  and 
stamping  with  his  foot  on  his  neck,  chest,  and 
stomach,  left  him  and  rode  off  to  a  farmhouse  near 
by  to  get  more  assistance,  instructing  Jantje  to  go 
on  meanwhile,  and  if  the  Kaffir  would  not  walk  to 
drag  him  if  necessary,  instructions  which  Jantje 
feared  to  disobey.  De  Lange  presently  returning, 
commenced  the  same  ill-treatment  as  before,  and 
further  seized  deceased  hj  the  throat,  holding  him 
so  tightly  that  the  tongue  protruded,  all  but 
suffocating  him.  Eventually  the  poor  wretch 
entirely  gave  in,  and  had  to  be  taken  to  a  l^lack- 
smith's  shop  in  the  neighbourhood,  where  he  was 
tied  up  by  De  Lange,  and  watch  set  over  him. 
Jantje's  evidence  was  corrol^orated  by  that  of  his 
master,  l^y  the  medical  evidence,  and  by  two  other 
witnesses.  De  Lange  then  proceeded  to  Rustem- 
burg,  where  he  spent  the  night.  The  following 
morning  he  returned  to  fetch  his  prisoner,  but 
death  was  before  him,  for  half  nn  hour  previously 


Boer  Justice.  91 


the  liimted  wretch  had  breathed  his  last.  The 
jury  were  absent  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  on  their 
return  announced  that  they  found  a  verdict  of 
"  Not  Guilty."  The  report  adds  that  the  accused 
is  a  member  of  the  "  Gereformeerde,"  or  "  Dopper  " 
C'hurch,  that  all  but  t^vo  of  the  jury  were  of  the 
same  denomination,  and  further,  that  there  were 
relatives  of  the  accused  among  them.  The  nati^'e, 
Jantje,  wdiose  testimony  was  so  important,  quite 
unshaken  under  the  most  searching  cross-examina- 
tion, had  been  some  twenty-six  years  in  the  service 
of  his  present  master,  and  had  always  borne  an 
excellent  character.  For  nearly  six  months  before 
the  trial  he  was  detained  in  gaol  as  a  Avitness, 
although  the  accused  was  liberated  on  bail.  His 
master  stated  that  he  himself  had  offered  bail  to 
the  amount  of  250/.  for  Jantje's  appearance,  but  it 
was  refused.  The  report  concludes : — "  Among 
the  Boers  in  the  ward,  for  which  De  Lange  is 
Field-cornet,  feeling  ran  high,  and  would,  it  is 
thought,  ha  AC  taken  very  definite  shajDe  had  the 
verdict  been  different.  De  Lange  is  most  pojDular 
with  them,  for  it  is  felt  that  he  is  a  man  who 
understands  how  to  deal  with  a  Kaffir.  Should  he 
consider  that  recent  occurrences  make  it  becoming 
on  his  part  to  resign  his  field-cornetcy,  they  express 
their  determination  to  re-elect  him  immediately."  ^ 
Such  is  Boer  justice. 

The  above  case  is  a  typical  one,  and  for  that 
reason,  as  well  as  for  its  shocking  details,  I  have 

'  Local  Newspaper,  Sfandar^l  ami  Diggers'  Nens,  May  12th, 
1891. 


92   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

quoted  it  at  length.  Not  that  all  Boers,  or,  indeed, 
many  Boers,  would  be  guilty  of  such  inliuman 
cruelty.  It  is  typical,  in  the  sense  that  all  Boers, 
whether  on  the  bench  or  in  the  jury-box,  would 
act  in  a  precisely  similnr  manner,  no  matter  what 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  might  be,  where 
Boer  interests  and  Boer  life  were  on  one  side  and 
native  interests  and  native  life  on  the  other. 
Cases  of  cruel  treatment  inflicted  by  Boers  on 
natives  are  by  no  means  rare.  The  Boer  does  not 
recognize  that  the  native  is  in  any  degree  raised 
above  the  level  of  the  lower  animals.  In  conversa- 
tion he  describes  the  native  as  a  "  creature."  His 
undying  hatred  for  the  English  arises  mainly  from 
the  fact  that  the  English  persist  in  according  at 
least  in  theory  equal  rights  to  the  coloured  popula- 
tion as  are  enjoyed  by  the  whites.  In  the  Trans- 
vaal no  native  may  travel  from  one  place  to 
another  unless  he  is  provided  with  a  pass.  In  the 
towns  no  native  may  be  out  at  night,  unless  he 
is  similarly  protected.  Neither  can  any  native 
in  the  Transvaal  acquire  a  title  to  land.  On  the 
other  hand,  throughout  the  Transvaal  the  native 
enjoys  the  valuable  privilege  of  being  able  to 
purchase  and  consume  in  any  quantity  the  most 
23oisonous  alcoholic  compounds.  Taking  all 
these  matters  into  consideration,  I  can  imagine 
that  a  British  Ministry  or  a  British  Parlia- 
]nent  may  pause  and  hesitate  l^efore  hand- 
ing over  to  Boer  dominion  Swaziland  and  its 
jDeople.  This  is  the  territory  which  the  Boers 
eagerly  covet  as  giving   them  additional  grazing 


Shall  we  Surrender  Swaziland  ?         93 


ground  and  a  line  opening  on  to  the  coast.     They 
aver,  with  what  amount  of  truth  I  Ivnow  not,  that 
Swaziland  has  been  more  than  once  promised  to 
them  by  persons  holding  official  positions  under 
the  British  Crown.     The  main  cause  and  object  of 
the  recent  threatened   "  trek  "    into  Mashonaland 
was  to  put  23ressure  upon  the  High  Commissioner 
in  this  matter  of  Swaziland.     "  If  you  will  redeem 
your  pi'omise  of  giving  us  Swaziland  we  will  drop 
the  trek."     Such  was  always  the   Boer  thouoht, 
and  such   was    often   the   Boer   expression   from 
President  Kruger  downwards.     Two  circumstances 
undoubtedly  militate  in  favour  of  the  cession  of 
this  territory  to  the  Boers.     In  the  hrst  place  the 
British    Commissioner,    Sir    Francis    de   Winton, 
sent  out  specially  by  the  British  Government  to 
inquire  into    and  report   upon   the    condition    of 
things  in  Swaziland,  recommended  the  cession  of 
the  territory  to  the  Boers.     In  the  second  place 
the  present  arrangement,  namely,  a  joint  Govern- 
ment of  the  country  l)y  British  and  Dutch  Com- 
missioners,   is    unsatisfactory  to    all   parties    con- 
cerned, cannot  be   regarded  as  a  permanent  one, 
and   could   very  easily  be   made  unworkable  l)y 
the  Boers  themselves. 

In  spite,  however,  of  these  considerations,  in  view 
of  the  utter  misgovernment  of  the  Transvaal,  of  the 
insolent  denial  by  the  Boers  of  all  political  and  even 
municipal  rights  to  persons  residing  in  the  Trans- 
vaal, other  than  of  Dutch  birth,  strongly  imjDressed 
^v^ith  the  knowledge  of  the  vicious  and  cruel  senti- 
ments which  the  Boers  entertain  toAvards  the  nati\'e 


94  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

races,  I  own  that  it  would  be  with  the  greatest 
misgiving  and  reluctance  that  I  could  persuade 
myself  as  a  member  of  Parliament  to  support  the 
surrender  to  the  Boers  of  the  fortunes  and  destinies 
of  the  Swazis  ;  a  race,  in  many  respects,  of  superior 
quality  and  promise,  one,  moreover,  which  in  recent 
years  has  fought  gallantly  side  by  side  with  British 
troops,  and  has  acquired  a  peculiar  title  to  British 
protection. 

The  Boer  farmer  |)ersonifies  useless  idleness. 
Occupying  a  farm  of  from  six  thousand  to  ten 
thousand  acres,  lie  contents  himself  with  raising 
a  herd  of  a  few  hundred  head  of  cattle,  which  are 
left  almost  entirely  to  the  care  of  the  natives  whom 
he  employs.  It  may  be  asserted,  generally  with 
truth,  that  he  never  plants  a  tree,  never  digs  a 
Avell,  never  makes  a  road,  never  grows  a  blade 
of  corn.  Rough  and  ready  cultivation  of  the 
soil  for  mealies  by  the  natives  he  to  some  extent 
permits,  but  agriculture  and  the  agriculturist  he 
holds  alike  in  great  contempt.  He  passes  his  day 
doing  absolutely  nothing  beyond  smoking  and 
drinking  coffee.  He  is  perfectly  imeducated. 
Witli  the  exception  of  the  Bible,  every  Avord  of 
which  in  its  most  literal  interpretation  he  believes 
with  fanatical  credulity,  he  never  opens  a  book,  he 
never  even  reads  a  newspaper.  His  simple  ignor- 
ance is  unfathomable,  and  this  in  stolid  composure 
he  shares  with  his  wife,  his  sons,  his  daughters, 
being  proud  that  his  children  should  grow  up  as 
ignorant,  as  uncultivated,  as  hopelessly  unpro- 
gressive  as  himself.     In  the  winter  time  he  moves 


The  Withering  Grasp  of  the  Boer.        95 

with  his  herd  of  cattle  into  the  better  pastures  and 
mikler  chmate  of  the  low  country  veldt,  and  lives 
as  idly  and  uselessly  in  his  waggon  as  he  does 
in  his  farmhouse.  The  summer  sees  him  re- 
turning home,  and  so  on,  year  after  year,  genera- 
tion after  generation,  the  Boer  farmer  drags  out 
the  most  deui'aded  and  imoble  existence  ever  ex- 
perienced  by  a  race  with  any  pretensions  to 
civilization.  I  have,  I  must  admit,  met  some 
13ersons  in  Government  circles  and  elseAvhere  of 
Boer  or  Dutch  birth  who  are  entirely  excluded 
from  the  scope  of  these  remarks,  whose  manners 
were  polite  and  amiable,  who  were  anxious  to 
show  kindness  and  hospitality,  whose  conversa- 
tion was  distino'uished  1)V  orio-inal  ideas  and 
liberal  sentiments.  These,  however,  are  but  bright 
exceptions.  I  speak  of  the  nation  of  Trans- 
A^aal  Boers  as  a  Avliole,  as  I  think  I  have  seen  it. 
I  turned  my  back  gladly  on  this  people,  hastening 
northwards  to  lands  jDossessed  I  hoped  of  equal 
Avealth,  brighter  prospects,  reserved  for  more 
worthy  owners  entitled  to  happier  destinies ;  I 
rejoiced  after  all  that  I  had  seen  in  the  Trans- 
\7ial,  that  tlie  country  and  the  people  of  the 
Matabele  and  the  Mashona  had  been  rescued  in 
the  nick  of  time,  owing  to  the  genius  of  J\Ir. 
Rhodes  and  the  tardy  vigour  of  the  British 
(Tovermnent,  from  the  withering  and  mortal  gj-asp 
of  the  Boer. 


g6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ON    THE    ROAD    TO    :\IASHONALAND. 

The  Chartered  Company's  Station  at  Fort  Tuli — Mining  in  the 
Zoutspunburg  District — The  Progress  of  the  "  Spider  " — 
Our  first  cooking  efforts — Hints  for  sportsmen — Sixty 
miles  Avithout  water — A  glimpse  of  Fairyland — We  meet 
Major  Sapte  and  Mr.  Victor  Morier — Meeting  with 
Captain  Laurie  at  Rhode's  Drift — The  Bechuanaland 
Border  Police — A  "  Boer  trek  " — President  Kruger's  posi- 
tion— Sir  Frederick  Carrington  and  the  B.S.A.C.  Co.'s 
police — Experiment  with  the  new  magazine  RiHe. 

"  There  is  Fort  Tuli."  Sacli  were  the  welcome 
words  uttered  by  Captain  Laurie,  of  the  Bechu- 
aualand  Border  Police,  ^vho  was  riding  with  me 
on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  the  12th  of  July.  I 
looked  up  and  found  that  a  sudden  turn  of  the 
road  descending  to  the  Tuli  River  disclosed  an  emi- 
nence about  300  feet  hio-h,  somewhat  resemblino-  in 
miniature  the  Hog's  Back  at  Aldershot,  surmounted 
by  a  group  of  white  tents  over  which  floated  in  the 
breeze  the  British  flag.  Early  in  March,  1891,  I 
was  in  the  AVestminster  Palace  Hotel,  talking  over 
with  'My.  Cecil  Rhodes  the  journey  to  South 
Africa  which  I  then  contemplated.  "  There  is  Fort 
Tuli,"  he  said,  "  the  first  station  of  the  Chartered 
Company,"  pointing  to  a  spot  on  the  map  before 
him,  and  drawing  a  straight  line  in  pencil  fi'om 
Pretoria  to  Tuli.     He  added,   "And  that    is  the 


Departure  from  Pretoria.  97 


I'oatl  \'ou  nmst  travel."  I  own  I  little  tlioim'lit  ut 
the  time  I  sliould  ever  get  to  Tuli,  for  these  long- 
journeys  are  chancy  sort  of  things,  and  many 
difficulties  and  obstacles  often  intervene  to  prevent 
their  accomplishment.  Between  seven  thousand  and 
eight  thousand  miles  I  had  travelled  since  leaving- 
London ;  noAv  only  about  four  hundred  miles 
separated  me  from  Fort  Salisbury,  in  Mashonaland, 
to  which  I  was  bound.  A  period  of  eleven  weeks 
was  occupied  in  compassing  the  greater  distance  : 
a  further  period  of  six  weeks  will  be  taken  up  in 
traversing  the  lesser.  Now  beo-ins  the  hard  travel- 
ling.  The  country  ahead  is  still  in  a  savage  state. 
No  hotels,  no  stores,  no  provisions  to  be  bought  on 
the  road,  beyond  mealies,  and  perhaps  here  and 
there  milk  and  eggs  and  poultry.  Everything 
necessary  for  the  support  of  the  expedition  has  to 
be  carried  along.  Before  entering  upon  the  com- 
position and  the  plant  of  the  expedition,  a  short 
descri]Dtion  of  the  journey  from  Pretoria  may  be 
of  interest.  Our  party,  consisting  of  Captain 
Williams,  Mr.  H.  C.  Perkins,  myself,  and  a  servant, 
.  with  a  fair  allowance  of  bao-o-ao-e,  left  Pretoria  in 
the  early  morning  of  Friday,  the  3rd  July.  We 
travelled  in  one  of  the  ordinary  coaches  of  the 
country,  which  had  been  specially  retained. 
Going  north  the  grass  veldt  is  left  behind,  and  the 
road  descends  on  to  the  low  country  bush  veldt, 
passing  through  hill  scenery  of  much  beauty.  It 
is  a  great  relief,  getting  away  from  the  high  grass 
veldt,  with  its  hopeless  expanse,  unbroken  by  tree, 
bush,  or  living  creature.     Now  the  surroundings 

H 


98  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

captivate  the  mind.     Trees,  bushes,  glens,  glades 
abound  on  every  side  in  much  variety.     Often  one 
may  fancv  oneself  in    an  English  park,  or  in  an 
Enoiish  wood.     Althouo-h  winter,  numberless  ever- 
o-reen  trees,  plants,  and  bushes  attract  and  please 
-the    eye.       The    day    passes    rapidly    travelling- 
through   this  lovely  country.     It  is  midday,  ap- 
parently, immediately  after  sunrise,  and  dusk  before 
one  has  had  time  for  a  In-ief  afternoon   slumber. 
Our  first  halt  was  made  at  the  AVarm  Baths,  about 
fifty  miles  from  Pretoria.     Here  there  are  some 
hot  springs,   possessing  medicinal  (jualities.     The 
water  issues  from  the  ground  at  a  temperature  of 
about  100  degrees  Fahrenheit.     The  baths  are  of 
the  roughest  description,  square  holes  dug  in  the 
earth,  the  sides  plastered  with   mud.     However, 
we  found  them  fairly  refreshing  after  a  long  and 
dusty  drive.     The  hotel  accommodation    is  rude 
but  clean,  and   doubtless  the  Boer  considers  the 
place   a   perfect    Capua   for   luxury.      The    next 
day,  passing   always  through  beautiful  woodland 
scenery,  brought  us  at  noon  to  Nylstrom.     Here 
are    a   Landroost's    office,    a    telegraph    station, 
a  hotel  and  store,  all  newly  erected.     The  hotel 
and  store  were  kept  by  a  rascally  fellow,  who  told 
us  we  could  have  no  food   for  two  hours,  and  on 
being    informed    that    we    were    provided    with 
supplies  of  our  own,  calmly  charged  us  2/.  10^.  for 
an  hour's  use  of  the  common  dining-room.     In  the 
evening  we  reached  Bads-loop,  where  we  found 
some  clean  bedrooms   and  an   excellent  store,  the 
property  of  a   young   German    settler,    who   was 


Mining  in  the  Zoutspanburg.  99 


most  obliging,  amiable,  and  hospitable,  whose 
charo'es  were  moderate.  In  the  mornino-  we 
journeyed  to  Ey tings,  where  again  we  found  good 
accommodation.  The  place  is  named  after  the 
owner  of  the  hotel.  During  the  two  previous 
davs'  travelling  through  the  low  bush  country  we 
liad  descended  to  a  level  of  about  3000  feet,  but  on 
the  third  day  the  road  again  ascended,  and  at 
Eytings  reached  the  altitude  of  4500  feet.  Start- 
ing at  daybreak  the  following  morning  we  passed 
through  Smitsdorp,  a  flourishing  and  rising  little 
town,  about  10  a.m.,  and  reached  Pietersburg  at 
noon,  having  taken  three  days  and  a  half  over  a 
journey  of  about  180  miles.  Pietersburg  is  the 
capital  of  the  extensive  district  of  the  Zoutspan- 
hurg.  Round  about,  both  in  the  high  and  low 
country,  many  mining  enterprises  are  being  carried 
on.  We  visited  the  Mount  Marais  Mine,  four  miles 
from  Smitsdorp,  and  the  Palmitsfontein  Mine, 
about  six  miles  from  Pietersburg.  In  the  former 
the  ore  is  of  low  grade  ;  in  the  latter  it  is  in  places 
very  rich,  but  uncertain  in  extent  and  depth  and 
pockety.  It  is  not  probable  that  either  of  these 
mines  will  greatly  reward  its  owners.  Accounts 
more  or  less  reliable  reached  us  of  extremely  rich 
gold  findings  recently  made  in  the  low  counti'v 
Murchison  district,  about  eighty  miles  to  the  east- 
ward of  Pietersburg,  one  mine,  "  The  Birthday," 
having  produced  some  very  remarkable  quai-tz 
specimens.  This  district  is,  however,  at  present 
very  inaccessible,  much  tormented  with  fever, 
horse  sickness,  and  "  fly,"  and  some  long  time  will 

H  2 


loo  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


ela]3se  before  precise  and  definite  information  can 
be  obtained,  and  some  still  longer  time  l^efore  any 
develoj)ment  of  the  auriferous  properties  can  be 
made.  But  the  mineral  resources  of  the  Transvaal 
are,  indeed,  extraordinary.  Far  and  wide  all  over 
the  country  they  may  be  found,  and  it  is  difiicult 
to  over-estimate  the  numbers  of  the  population 
which  will  at  some  future  day  be  settled  here  or 
the  amount  of  wealth  which  will  l)e  produced. 

At  Pietersburo'  our  method  of  travellino-  had  to 
be  changed.  The  coach  was  abandoned  and  "  the 
spider "  resorted  to.  This  latter  cai-riage  I  had 
purchased  from  Mr.  Xelmapius  at  Pretoria  ;  it  had 
been  specially  constructed  for  travelling  in  the 
veldt.  The  four  wheels  are  high,  light  in  appear- 
ance, but  of  great  strength.  The  seats  inside 
provide  for  four  passengers,  and  are  roomy  and 
comfortable.  On  the  driver's  seat  three  persons 
can  be  seated.  Over  all,  projecting  ^vel\  on  to  the 
splashboard,  is  a  light  canvas  covering  fitted  with 
^vindows  and  with  cushioned  sides.  At  night  the 
space  between  the  inside  seats  is  fitted  up  with  the 
cushions  from  the  front  seat,  the  curtains  behind 
and  in  front  are  let  down,  the  windows  raised,  and 
a  first-rate  sleeping  apartment  and  bed  are  at  once 
secured.  These  "sj^iders"  are  constructed  to  go 
over  almost  any  road,  and  are  far  more  comfortable 
nnd  less  jolting  than  a  two-wheel  Cape  cart. 
Eio;ht  fine  strono;  mules,  an  Eniiiish  driver,  and  a 
"  boy,"  complete  the  equipment.  Besides  the 
"spider"  we  had  to  engage  a  cart  with  six  mules 
for  our  baggage  and  provisions.  From  Pieters- 
burg  to  Tuli  there  is  no  hotel  and  little  store  ac- 


"The  Spider."  lor 


c'ommodation.  This  will,  probably,  be  soon 
pro^dded,  as  a  coacb  service  now  passes  along  tlie 
road,  either  way,  twice  a  week,  but  the  traveller 
who  desires  to  be  reasonablv  comfortable  will  do 
well  to  rely  upon  his  own  feeding,  cooking,  and 
sleeping  resources,  and  for  a  long  time  to  come  will 
find  a  night  passed  in  the  bush  very  preferable  to 
one  passed  in  the  inside  of  a  Transvaal  shanty. 
For  twenty  or  thirty  miles  round  Pietersburg,  the 
liio'h  o-rass  veldt  without  tree  or  bush  is  seen, 
Ijroken  here  and  there  by  isolated  kopjes.  AYe 
travelled  twenty-five  miles  on  leaving  Pietersburg, 
where  I  may  remark  ^\^e  found  a  thoroughly  good 
hotel,  and  encamped  near  a  small  store  kept  by  a 
(xerman.  Here  commenced  our  first  cooking 
efforts.  To  collect  brushwood  and  dried  dung  for 
the  fire,  to  fill  the  kettles  and  boil  the  water  are 
the  first  duties  ;  bacon  and  eggs  and  bread  are  the 
staple  of  the  repast,  supplemented  by  such  tinned 
])rovisions  as  mav  have  been  brouirht  alon^r.  Eo:^s 
and  bread  and  milk  are  very  often  not  obtainable, 
when  biscuits  and  preserved  milk  form  indifferent 
substitutes.  My  party  soon  became  very  skilful 
and  expeditious  with  their  kitchen  arrangements, 
and  would  have  breakfast  or  dinner  ready  within 
half-an-hour  of  outspanning.  The  Aveather  was 
perfect,  with  the  exception  of  on-j  day,  when  for  a 
few  hours  we  were  troubled  with  a  regular  Scotch 
drizzle  ;  the  nights  were  cool,  but  not  cold  ;  the 
bush  country  into  which  we  plunged  on  the  second 
day  after  leaving  Pietersburg,  varied  and  agree- 
able. Partridges,  "  pheasants(?)  "  guinea  fowl,  and  \ 
doves  can  be  secured  along  the  route,  and  form  ap- 


102  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa 


preciable  additions  to  the  daily  meals.  Any  one 
travelling  in  this  country  for  pleasure  should  cer- 
tainly be  accompanied  by  a  couple  of  well-trained 
pointers.  With  these  he  would  often  have  excel- 
lent sport.  Long-haired  dogs,  such  as  setters, 
retrievers,  spaniels,  should  not  be  brought  here,  as 
they  soon  become  infested  by  ticks  Avliich  cannot 
be  seen  or  extracted,  and  which  bleed  and  torture 
the  ])00Y  animals,  making  festering  sores,  until  the 
dogs  fall  away  in  condition,  become  weak  and  use- 
less, and  often  die.  A  good  supply  of  carbolic  oil 
is  essential,  as  all  scratches  from  thorns,  bites,  and 
stings  from  insects  on  the  hands  or  face  are  likely 
in  this  country  to  fester  and  give  trouble  unless 
treated  with  carbolic  oil.  Two  hours  at  daybreak 
and  an  hour  and  a  half  at  sunset  are  the  best  times 
for  shooting  game,  which  the  wild  beauty  and 
variety  of  the  bush  renders  a  most  exhilarating 
pursuit.  On  the  second  and  third  days  we  had  to 
traverse  a  route  totally  unprovided  with  water  for 
a  distance  of  about  sixty  miles.  The  abundant 
vegetation  demonstrates  that  anv  quantity  of  water 
could  be  found  within  a  {e^Y  feet  of  the  surface  by 
digging  ;  but  wells  are  looked  upon  by  the  Boers 
as  useless  luxuries,  and  unless  Nature  has  provided 
a  "  pan  "  or  "  spruit,"  the  Boer  passes  on,  at  a  cost 
,  of  no  matter  what  amount  of  suffering  to  his  ani- 
mals. For  twenty-four  hours  our  mules  got  no 
water,  and  consequently  reached  Jahshaan  on  the 
evening  of  the  third  day  in  a  very  exhausted  con- 
dition. A  night's  rest  and  good  water  completely 
restored  them.  At  Jahshaan  is  a  kopje,  Avherc 
there  are  many  guinea  fowls.     Here  also,  is  a  kraal. 


Sixty  Miles  without  Water.  103 

where  relays  of  mules    are    kept    for   tlie   coach, 
service.     On  the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  day  Ave 
arrived  at  a  spot  which  for  beauty  of  scenery  is 
unrivalled.     The  abundant  presence  of  palm  trees 
and  palm  bushes  indicated   that  the  tropics   had 
been  entered.     Many  large  trees  give  most  grateful 
shade.     The  "  cream  of  tartar  "  tree  is  a  most  re- 
markable growth,  in  that  the  circumference  of  the 
trunk,  from  thirty  to  forty  feet,  often  exceeds  the 
height  of  the  tree  itself,  and  the  branches,  which 
are  thrown  off  at  the  toj),  are  so  disproportionately 
small,  when  compared  with  the  trunk,  as  to  give  to 
this  tree  a  most  gTotesque  and  rather  weird  appear- 
ance.    The  fruit  hangs  in  pods  about  the  size  of  a 
small  cocoanut  from  the  branches,  and  contains  a 
white,  creamy  substance  highly  acid  to  the  taste, 
which  the  natives  aver  is  a  specific  in  cases   of 
fever.     Our  camp  was   situated  about  400   yards 
from  the  Limpo230.     I  Avas  strolling  along  the  river 
bank  in  the  evenino'  with  a  o-un,  when  I  suddenly 
came  upon  the  most  lovely  scenery  that  I  ever 
beheld  ;  I  can  only  describe  it  as  a  combination  on 
a  large  scale  of  the  tropics,  Windsor  forest,  and  a 
fine  reach  of  the  Tay  or  Tweed.     If  this  was  situ- 
ated in  Europe  it  would  be  the  resort  of  thousands, 
and   would   be    covered    Avith   hotels,    villas,    and 
o-ardens.     The  settino-  sun  threw  on  this  enchant- 
ing  spot  a  light  of  inconceivable  loveliness.     It  was 
absolutely  fairyland,    but  the  fairies  were  a  few 
ugly  naked  Kaffirs.     At  this  place  we  met  Major 
Sapte,    military   secretary   to   his  Excellency  the 
High  Commissioner,  Mr.  Victor  Morier,  and  Major 
Gascoigne,  on  their  Av-ay  down  from  Mashonaland. 


104  ^^EN,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


The   former   had   been   sent   by  the   Higli   Com- 
missioner ecaiiy  in  ]\Iay  up  the  Pungwe  River  with 
despatches  for  the   Portuguese   Governor  and  for 
Colonel  Pennefather  at  Fort  Salisbury,  command- 
ing the  Chartered  Company's  Police.     He  told  me 
he  had  left  everything  quiet   and  peaceful  on  the 
frontier  round  Massi  Kessi,  but  that  it  was  unlikely 
that  the  Pun2:we  route  would  l)e  available  as  an 
ordinary  travelling  route  for  a  considerable  time, 
probably  not  for  another  year.     He  added  that  he 
had  l)een  treated  with  the  greatest  politeness  and 
courtesy  by  all  the   Portuguese,  not  only  liy  the 
officials,    but   also   by    the    detached    groups    of 
Portuo-uese  soldiers  who  had  l^een   encountered  on 
the   road.      Mr.    Victor   Morier,    who    had    been 
present  at  the  skirmish  near  Massi  Kessi,  between 
the    Portuguese    and    the     Chartered     Company's 
Police,  fi'ave  me  an  iuterestins;  account  of  that  in- 
cident.     It  appears  that  the  Portuguese  advanced 
from  Massi  Kessi  to  the  position  held  by  the  police, 
informed  the  officer  in  command  of  the  police  that 
Manicaland  was    in    a    state    of    siege,   that    all 
strangers  were  to  be  turned  out,  and  demanded 
that  he  should  evacuate  the  position.     This  the 
officer  declined  to   do,  upon  which,  after  a  brief 
interval,  the  Portuguese,  some  400  or   500  strong, 
natives    and    Europeans    combined,  advanced    to 
attack  the  position,  firing  the  first  shots.     They 
were  fired  upon  in  return,  and  after  two   hours' 
shirmishing  the  Portuguese  retired  with  much  pre- 
cipitation and  some  loss,  and  so   great  was  their 
discomfiture  that  they  stayed  not  in   Massi   Kessi 


The  Skirmish  at  Massi  Kessi.  105 


some  miles  distant,  wliere  they  "\70uld  have  been 
undisturbed,  but  evacuated  that  23lace  also  and 
leaving  all  their  stores,  scattered  away  on  the  route 
down  to  the  Pun o- we.  Mr.  Victor  Morier  informed 
me  that  the  police  force  of  the  Chartered  Com- 
pany only  numbered  thirty-five  all  told.  This 
place  of  outspan  for  the  night  must  also  be  com- 
memorated bv  me  on  account  of  the  wonderthl 
dinner  we  had  that  evening.  Baked  partridges, 
fried  partridge  liver,  minced  koodoo  and  stewed 
vegetables,  winding  up  with  hot  stewed  prunes. 

The  next  day  we  travelled  along  the  Limpopo  to 
Rhodes's  Drift,  a  distance  of  twenty-li\'e  miles.  At 
Morrison's,  a  small  store  four  miles  from  the  drift, 
we  were  fortunate  in  meeting  Captain  Laurie, 
K.xV.,  now  in  command  of  the  detachment  of 
Bechuanaland  Border  Police  sruardino-  the  drift. 
He  conducted  us  across  the  Limpopo,  and  made  us 
most  comfortable  in  his  camp  for  the  night.  Our 
cart  with  our  luo-o-ao-e  and  provisions  had  sadlv 
broken  down,  wheel  and  dissel-boom,  having  been 
smashed  over  the  rocky  parts  of  the  track,  and 
was  far  behind ;  without  the  aid  of  Captain 
Laurie  we  should  have  passed  a  night  unprovided 
with  food,  cohering,  or  shelter.  The  Limpopo,  or 
Crocodile  river,  was  high  for  the  time  of  year,  the 
water  coming  right  over  the  floor  of  the  "  spider,"' 
and  well  up  on  the  shouldei's  of  the  horse  I  was 
riding.  At  Rhodes's  Drift  the  river  is  about  lliO 
yards  wide,  a  hue,  strong  flowing  river.  The 
banks  are  steep,  and  the  crossing  was  one  of 
some  slight  anxietv,  bnt,  thanks  to  the  assistance 


io6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


of  a  trooiDer  of  the  detachment,  Avho  stripped  off 
his  clothes  and  led  onr  mules  through  the  water, 
we  effected  the  j^assage  without  loss  or  damage. 
Possibly,  in  a  fe^v  years'  time,  there  will  l^e  a  fine 
ii'on  railway  l^ridge  across  this  river.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  Limpopo,  500  yards  from  the 
river,  lay  the  camp  and  foi't  of  the  Bechuanaland 


Sir  Frederick  CarriDgton  aud  officers  of  the  Bechuanaland  Border 
Police  and  British  South  African  Company's  Police. 


Border  Police ;  to  see  again  the  British  Hag, 
to  feel  that  at  last  one  was  well  out  of  Boerland, 
was  truly  pleasant  and  refreshing.  These  Bechu- 
analand Border  Police  are  as  line  an  irregular 
cavalry  force  as  could  be  seen.  Composed  of  men 
of  good  education,  and  in  many  cases  of  good 
family,   their  training  hts  thein   for  all  kinds  of 


The  Bechuanaland  Border  Police.        107 


service,  enures  them  to  any  hardship,  makes  any 
difficult}^"  a  trifle  to  them,  enables  them  to 
confront  with  resolution  any  vicissitude  of  march, 
bivouac,  or  combat.  They  are  clothed  in  a 
tunic  and  breeches  of  dark  yellow  corduroy,  very 
smart  and  well  fitting,  and  wear  a  most  pictur- 
esque sombrero  kind  of  hat  of  the  same  coloured 
felt,  adorned  with  a  red  or  blue  ribbon,  according 
to  the  particular  troop.  Black  boots,  three- 
quarters  up  the  knee  and  partly  laced  over  the 
ankle,  complete  the  attire.  They  are  armed  with 
a  ]\Iartini-Henry  rifle,  which  is  carried  with  its 
stock  resting  in  a  small  leather  bucket  hanging  from 
the  saddle  on  the  right  side.  Across  the  shoulder 
hangs  a  bandolier,  holding  fifty  rounds  of  ammu- 
nition. A  strong,  long  sword-bayonet  is  carried  on 
the  left  side.  Haversack,  water-bottle,  cloak  in 
front,  patrol  tin  in  leather  case  on  the  saddle,  and 
a  thick,  warm  rug  behind,  are  also  added  ;  the 
whole  weighing,  Avitli  the  rider,  on  an  average 
about  sixteen  stone.  The  force  numbers  about  600 
men,  divided  into  fixe  troops.  It  has  been  entirely 
raised  and  organized  by  Sir  Frederick  Carrington, 
its  present  commander,  and  would  certainly  under 
him  perform  the  highest  services.  The  men  are  all 
well  trained  in  rifle-shooting,  many  of  them  being 
flrst-rate  marksmen.  The  great  smartness  of  their 
appearance  and  demeanour  would  satisfy  even  the 
particular  and  critical  eye  of  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of 
Cambridge.  At  Rhodes's  Drift  the  small  detach- 
ment quartered  there,  consisting  of  Captain  Laurie 
and  thirty  men,  had,  in   a   space   of  three  weeks, 


io8  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

cleared  some  acres  of  bush,  sunk  a  well  with  tim- 
bered sides  about  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  depth, 
erected  a  circular  fort  Avith  thick  earthworks  and 
timbered  walls  and  wide  deep  ditch.  Underground 
in  the  fort  was  kept  the  ammunition  and  other 
stores.  The  whole  represented  an  immense  amount 
of  hard,  incessant  labour,  and  had  been  effected 
with  an  amount  of  neatness,  of  ingenious  expedient, 
of  fertility  of  resource  that  spoke  volumes  in 
favour  of  the  skill  and  science  of  the  officer,  of 
the  enprit  de  corps  and  resolution  of  the  men. 
What  an  armv  "we  mioht  have  in  Eno;land  if  onl\' 
we  had  no  AYar  Office !  The  B.B.P.  are  now 
guarding  about  150.  miles  of  the  Limpopo  in  aii- 
ticij^ation  of  the  Boer  trek.  Along  this  length  of 
river  are  four  or  five  drifts  where  detachments  are 
stationed,  and  where  forts  have  been  erected. 

Major  Goold- Adams  described  to  me  the  attempt 
made  shortly  before  b)'  a  party  of  Boers  to  cross  the 
river.  About  thirty  Boers,  the  advanced  guai'd  of 
a  mucli  larger  party,  came  down  to  the  river,  fully 
armed,  intending  to  cross.  They  were  called  to 
that  they  would  be  fired  upon  by  the  British  force 
if  they  advanced,  upon  Avhich  they  sent  over  two  or 
three  of  their  partv  to  parley.  They  Avere  in- 
formed that  they  could  not  1)C  allowed  to  go  in  un- 
less they  signed  declarations  of  their  intention  to 
recognize  the  British  flag,  and  to  abide  by  the  laws 
and  regulations  of  the  Chartered  Company,  and 
that  in  no  case  would  any  large,  armed  party  be 
allowed  to  enter.  They  refused  to  sign  any  docu- 
ments, and  in  a  manner  described  as  most  insolent 


A  "  Boer  Trek."  109 


and  menacmg,  declared  that  they  would  cross  by 
force.  They  returned  to  their  party,  and  once 
more  came  down  to  the  edge  of  the  water.  A 
Maxim  gun  was  brought  into  position  bv  the  de- 
tachment, and  laid  on  to  tliem,  and  the  officer. 
Major  Goold- Adams,  called  out  that  if  they  pro- 
ceeded a  single  step  further  he  Avould  tire.  The\' 
halted,  hesitated,  and,  prudent  counsels  prevailing, 
turned  back  and  rejoined  the  main  body  some 
distance  from  the  riAer.  Here  a  violent  scene  is 
said  to  have  taken  place  between  the  leader  of  the 
advanced  body  and  the  leaders  and  men  of  the 
main  body.  The  latter  were  reproached  by  the 
former  for  cowardice  and  desertion  of  him.  The 
quarrel  terminated  by  the  small  and  violent  group 
abandoning  the  enterprise  and  disbanding.  The 
other  and  larger  body,  with  whom  was  Colonel 
Ferreira  and  a  certain  Malan,  a  son-in-law  of 
General  Joubert,  then  marched  to  another  drift, 
where  thcv  encountered  the  same  officer,  and  where 
a  similar,  but  much  less  stormy,  scene  took  place. 
Colonel  Ferreira  crossed  over  by  himself  and  was 
immediately  arrested  under  orders  received  from 
the  High  Commissioner,  and  sent  to  Fort  Tuli. 
After  a  few  clays'  detention  he  was  liberated  and 
allowed  to  proceed  up  country,  having  signed 
all  the  necessary  documents.  The  other  Boers, 
finding  the  British  in  force,  determined  to  resist 
their  joassage,  retired  and  immediately  disjDersed. 
Thus,  happily  and  fortunately,  ended  the  cele- 
brated "  Boer  trek."  At  one  moment  an  en- 
counter, with  certain   bloodshed  and  loss  of  life. 


no   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

was  very  near,  but  the  firm  determination  of 
Major  Goold-Adams  and  his  men,  the  adequate 
preparations  made  beforehand  Idv  Sir  Frederick 
Carrington  and  the  High  Commissioner,  averted 
what  woukl  have  been  a  great  calamity.  "  The 
Boer  trek  "  promised  at  one  time  to  be  a  very  for- 
midable lousiness.  The  Boer  leaders,  more  or  less 
encouraged  by  General  Joubert,  who  were  carry- 
ing on  intrigues  with  the  Portuguese  on  one  hand, 
and  the  Matabele  on  the  other,  undoubtedly  saw 
their  wav  to  a  successful  incursion  into  what  they 
regard  as  "  a  promised  land  specially  reserved  for 
them  by  God."  Fortunately  President  Kruger 
never  hesitated  ;  from  the  first  he  exerted  against 
the  "  trek  "  all  his  great  authority,  he  kept  from  it 
all  actual  sympathy  or  effectual  support  among  the 
mass  of  the  Boers,  and  his  telegram  of  April  last  to 
the  High  Commissioner  to  the  effect  that  he  had 
damped  the  trek  was,  even  at  that  time,  strictly 
accurate.  It  is  quite  j)ossiblc  that  in  taking  this 
action  he  has  overstrained  his  influence  and  im- 
perilled his  popularity.  Unless  he  succeeds  in 
obtaining  Swaziland  for  his  |)eople  this  will  surelv 
be  found  to  be  the  case.  But  these  things  cannot 
be  determined  until  1893,  when  the  next  Presi- 
dental  election  takes  place. 

At  Fort  Tuli  our  party  was  most  hospitably 
received  and  entertained  bv  Sir  Frederick  Carrino-- 
ton,  Captain  Leonard  (in  command  of  the  post). 
Major  Tye,  the  ci^dl  magistrate,  and  by  the  officers 
of  the  B.B.P.  In  the  fort  are  quartered  from 
eighty  to  ninety  men   of  the  B.B.P.  and    of  the 


President  Kruger's  Position. 


II I 


British  South  African  Gliartercd  Company's  Police 
(B.S.A.C.P.).  This  latter  force  oTeatly  resembles 
the  B.B.P.,  on  the  model  of  vvhich  it  was  formed. 
The    composition    of   tlie    rank    and    file  of  the 


Lord  Eandolph  discnssing  his  route  with  Sir  F.  Carrington  at 
Fort  Tnli. 


B.S.A.C.P.  is  fairly  indicated  by  the  following- 
authentic  anecdote  : — A  new  officer  had  joined  and 
Avas  riding  along  in  front  of  his  men.  A  trooper 
riding  behind  was  overheard  to  remark  to  another, 
"  I  say,  Bill,  I  don't  think  much  of  this  new  fellow. 


112  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


I  d(3n't  remember  having  ever  met  him  in  White's 
or  Boodle'?."  There  are  in  the  force  serving  as 
troopers  two  sons  of  British  peers,  and  many  men 
of  birth  and  good  family.  Some  come  out  to 
see  hfe  and  adventure,  and  make  a  fortune; 
others,  and  not  a  few,  to  make  a  Uving,  and  if 
possible  regain  a  lost  fortune.  Fort  Tuli  is  a 
strong  position  against  any  artillery  which  is  likel\' 
to  be  brought  against  it  for  many  years  to  come. 
It  is  armed  with  a  Maxim  and  Avith  a  Gatling  gun. 
Sir  Frederick  Carrington  allowed  me  to  see  these 
guns  at  practice.  The  range  was  1600  yards,  the 
target  some  small  bushes  growing  on  the  sandy 
bed  of  the  river,  which  for  some  distance  is  effectu- 
ally commanded  by  the  fort.  The  Maxim  appeared 
to  be  remarkable  for  its  precision,  the  Gatling  for 
the  extent  of  ground  swept  by  its  projectiles. 
The  effect  of  the  hre  of  either  was  very  striking, 
and  I  would  imagine  terrifying  to  any  finding 
themselves  within  the  range  of  these  ingenious 
little  monsters  of  destruction.  Here  I  had  a  good 
opportunity  of  ascertaining  the  opinion  of  trained 
marksmen  upon  the  new  magazine  rifle  now  being- 
supplied  to  the  British  army.  The  Secretary  of 
State  for  War  had  given  me  one  of  these  rifles, 
]\Iark  I.,  to  take  along  with  me  and  try.  It  was 
now  produced  and  examined  by  the  officers  with 
much  interest.  A  fine  experiment  was  made  with 
it,  one  which  could  not  have  been  carried  out  in 
England  without  the  intervention  of  the  S.P.C.A. 
A  slaughter  ox  was  tethered  on  the  sand  of  tlie 
river  1500  yards  distant  and  about  300  feet  beloAV 


An  Experiment  with  the  Magazine  Rifle.    113 

the  bastion  from  wliicli  the  rifle  was  fired.  Captain 
Capper,  renowned  in  the  B.B.P.  for  his  skill  as  a 
rifle  shot,  fired  at  this  distant  and  certainly  not 
large  object.  All  his  shots  were  observed  through 
the  telescojDe  to  go  very  close  to  the  ox.  The 
afternoon  was  clear,  there  was  no  wind.  At  the 
twentieth  shot  the  animal  fell  like  a  mass,  and 
remained  perfectly  motionless.  AVe  momited  our 
horses  and  rode  out  to  examine  the  carcass.  The 
bullet,  which  had  slain  the  ox  so  instantaneously, 
had  entered  the  nape  of  the  neck  rather  high  behind 
the  ear,  passing  doAvnwards,  severing  the  spinal 
cord,  and  emerging  lower  do"wn  the  neck  nearer 
the  shoulder  on  the  other  side.  We  observed  that 
the  animal  had  also  been  struck  by  another  bullet, 
wliicli  had  penetrated  the  middle  of  his  side,  passed 
across  the  body  somewhat  upAvards,  emerging  just 
under  the  hump  on  the  other  side,  injuring  the 
intestines  and  other  vital  parts.  This  small  bullet 
had  produced  no  apparent  immediate  effect  on  the 
animal,  who  had  duiino-  the  firino-  been  under  the 
observation  of  the  strongest  telescopes,  and  was 
not  observed  to  start  or  even  to  make  a  movement 
till  the  last  bullet  struck  him.  I  asked  Captain 
Capper  what  he  thought  of  the  Aveapon  for  accu- 
racy :  he  told  me  he  thought  he  would  have  made 
more  accurate  practice  with  the  Martini-Henr}', 
but  this  he  attributed  to  the  method  of  sighting- 
adopted  for  the  magazine  rifle,  which  he  strongly 
condemned.  I  think  he  rather  liked  the  rifle  on 
the  whole.  On  the  other  hand,  I  fancy  I  may 
state  that  the  balance   of  opinion  was  not  favour- 

I 


114  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


able  to  the  weapon.  All  pronounced  it  very  com- 
plicated ;  all  doubted  whether  it  was  a  practical 
weajDon  for  a  common  soldier.  The  method  of 
half-cocking  the  arm,  the  arrangement  and  spiing 
of  the  magazine,  the  short  cleaning  rod,  the  poor 
and  weak  bayonet,  received  nothing  but  condem- 
nation. One  officer,  jDerfectly  entitled  to  give  an 
opinion,  said  he  would  like  the  rifle  without  the 
magazine.  I  thought  this  the  most  damaging 
oi^inion  I  had  yet  heard  given.  I  am  confident 
that  all  were  unanimous  that  if  they  had  to  fight 
for  their  lives  they  would  choose  the  IVIartini- 
Henry  in  pi'oference  to  the  new  magazine,  but 
this  judgment,  definite  and  unqualified  as  it  was, 
is  j^erhaps  discounted  by  the  notorious  human 
prejudice  in  favour  of  what  is  accustomed  to  and 
against  change  and  novelty.  This  discount,  more- 
over, is  strongly  supported  by  the  equally  notori- 
ous fact  that  at  the  time  of  the  introduction  of  the 
Martini-Henry  into  the  service,  high  military  and 
high  expert  opinion  leaned  heavily  towards  a 
preference  for  the  ancient  Snider.  Again,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  defects  of  the  new  rifle  are  great  and 
glaring  even  to  eyes  by  no  means  exj)ert,  and  to 
minds  not  trained  in  mechanics.  The  uses  it  will 
be  subjected  to,  the  hands  in  which  it  will  be 
placed,  cannot  luixe  received  real  practical  atten- 
tion. Impossible  perfection  has  been  sought  after 
irrespective  of  matter-of-fact  practical  common- 
j^lace  considerations.  Personally  I  venture  to  sum 
up  the  question  by  the  remark  that  it  is  one  of 
extreme   dilficulty  ;  that  if  I  were    Secretary    of 


Expert  Opinion  on  the  New  Arm.       115 

State  for  War,  viewing  the  expenditure  to  be 
incurred,  the  great  national  disasters  certain  to 
follow  on  an  error  of  decision,  the  serious  and  to  a 
great  extent  successful  manner  in  which  the  new 
rifle  has  been  impugned,  no  human  power  that  I  am 
aware  of  would  induce  me  to  assume  the  responsi- 
iDility  of  imposing  this  magazine  rifle  on  the  army. 
The  Small  Arms  Committee  and  other  highly-paid 
expert  and  inexpert  ofiicials  with  which  our 
country  is  blessed  or  oppressed  have  taken  fl^'e 
years  to  decide  upon  a  weapon.  After  such  an 
extravagant  consumption  of  time,  a  few  months 
more  would  be  of  little  account.  A  review  of  all 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  by  fresh  and  equally 
well-informed,  but  by  more  impartial  and  less 
personally  interested  judges,  would  probably  allay 
public  anxiety,  increase  military  confidence,  and 
certainly  relieve  the  load  of  responsibility  which 
must  attach  to  any  minister  or  ministry  who  make 
the  final  decision.  Xor  can  it  be  said  that  there 
is  any  great  hurry.  A  good  magazine  is  probably 
a  better  weapon  than  a  Martini-Henry,  but  the 
diflerence  is  minute  and  insignificant  compared 
with  the  diflerence  between  a  known  and  tried 
Martini-Henry  and  a  bad  magazine. 


I  2 


ii6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    EXPEDITION  :       ITS    COMrOSITION    AND 
EQUIPMENT. 

Major  Giles — A  fine  collection  of  giants — Our  rifles  and  guns 
— Warning  and  advice  to  future  travellers — Composition 
of  the  Expedition — Major  Giles's  trek  from  Vryburg  to 
Tuli — The  horse  sickness  in  Africa — A  camp  fire  concert 
at  Fort  Tuli. 

At  Tuli  I  had  the  pleasure  of  joining  my  waggons 
and  of  seeing:  ao-ain  the  other  friends  who  accom- 
panied  me  to  Mashonaland,  whom  I  had  taken 
leave  of  jst  Cape  Town  more  than  six  weeks 
previously.  They  had  been  doing  all  the  real 
hard,  rough  work  of  the  journey,  and  making  a 
long,  tedious,  and,  from  some  points  of  view,  an 
anxious  trek.  Major  Giles,  an  ex- Artillery  officer 
of  many  years'  South  African  service  and  expe- 
rience, had  undertaken  the  superintendence  and 
general  management  of  the  Expedition  :  a  heavy 
and  complicated  business,  as  will  be  seen  when  the 
composition  of  the  Expedition  is  gone  into  in 
detail,  in  which  he  had  been  most  efficiently 
assisted  by  Mr.  Edgell,  avIio  had  seen  much  wild 
life  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  in  cattle  ranches, 
and  by  Mr.  McKay,  who  last  year  formed  one  of 
the  Pioneer  force    despatched  into  Mashonaland. 


J 


A  Fine  Colt>ection  of  Giants. 


117 


I  may  mention  that  Major  Giles  stands  6ft.  4in., 
Mr.  Edgell  6ft.  Aim.,  Mr.  McKay  6ft.,  Messrs. 
Mockell  and  Mybiirgli,  the  conductors,  6ft.  5in. 
each  :  a  fine  collection  of  oiants.  The  orfranizinii' 
and  equipping  of  an  African  expedition  is  an 
elaborate  and  costly  business,  and  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  the   work  may  be  of  value   to   those  at 


The  lonp;  and  the  short  of  it. 


home  who  may  be  contemplating,  or  who  may 
undertake  a  similar  journey.  In  London  a  large 
outlay  had  been  made.  Tents,  all  camp  equip- 
ment, cooking  appliances  and  utensils  had  been 
supplied  by  a  well-known  London  outfitter.  The 
following  rifles  and  guns  had  been  bought  of  a 
London  firm: — 1.  A  double-barrel    'oil    B.    L. 


ii8  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

Henry  rifle.  2.  A  single-barrel  ditto.  3.  A 
single  -450  B.  L.  Henry  rifle.  4.  A  pair  of  No. 
12  breech-loading  shot  guns  with  rebounding  locks. 
5.  Six  Winchester  repeating  rifles,  new  pattern, 
•450  bore,  canying  four  cartridges  in  the  magazine. 
I  also  had  from  Messrs.  Fraser,  an  Edinburgh  firm, 
a  "500  bore  B.  L.  double-barrel  rifle.  With  this 
rifle  I  did  all  my  shooting,  and  found  it  to  he  a 
most  perfect,  accurate  and  beautifully  sighted 
arm.  In  addition  to  this  armament  there  were 
purchased  at  Kimbeiiey  two  pairs  of  No.  12  shot 
guns,  made  by  Greener,  four  ordinary  Martini- 
Henry  rifles,  and  two  sporting  rifles.  We  had 
with  us  about  10,000  rounds  of  ammunition.  A 
London  house  had  furnished  a  great  variety  of 
provisions,  tinned  meats,  pressed  vegetables,  fruit, 
bacon,  ham,  tea,  coffee.  Saddlery,  horse  clothing, 
and  halters  were  purchased  in  London,  as  also 
medicines,  etc.  I  would  venture  to  give  a  word  of 
A\^arnino;  and  advice  to  those  who  start  on  a  South 
African  journey,  and  who  have  to  ^^urchase 
material  at  home.  I  foolishly  imagined  that  if  I 
resorted  to  West-end  tradesmen  in  London,  though 
I  would  have  to  pay  considerably  higher  prices, 
at  least  I  would  obtain  the  best  articles  turned  out 
and  packed  in  the  best  possible  manner.  But  in 
this  I  was  disappointed  from  not  having  personally 
seen  after  everything,  down  to  the  smallest  details. 
For  instance,  three  bell  tents  wore  supjDlied,  all  of 
old  and  each  of  different  patterns,  with  poles  too 
long,  causing  very  great  inconvenience  when  un- 
packed and  brought  into  use.     All  the  packing 


Hints  from  mv  own  Experience.         119 

cases  were  of  such  weak  and  flimsy  material  that 
after  being  opened  they  became  useless.  More 
than  that,  the  packing  of  the  articles  was  so  de- 
fective that  many  things  were  broken,  especially 
an  elaborate  stove,  and  lamps  of  more  than  one 
kind.  An  expensive  canteen,  on  being  opened, 
was  found  to  be  defective  in  many  articles.  I 
could  cite  other  instances  of  carelessness  and  neg- 
lect, Avhich  ought  to  be  most  carefully  guarded 
against,  for  in  a  country  such  as  this  defects  in 
the  original  equipment  cannot  be  made  good,  will 
always  produce  vexation  and  inconvenience,  may 
sometimes  be  attended  with  consequences  still 
more  serious.  At  Kimberley  servants  and  grooms 
were  engaged,  waggons,  oxen,  mules,  horses  pur- 
chased. Here  a2:ain  I  Avould  advise  the  traveller 
who  has  to  make  purchases  at  Kimberley  to 
personally  inspect  and  examine  every  article 
ordered  and  to  see  to  the  packing  of  it.  One  large 
wholesale  house  to  whom  I  had  special  letters  of 
recommendation,  supplied  us  with  many  shocking 
hi\([  articles  of  the  most  shoddy  description.  Also 
some  essential  parts  of  the  mining  equipment 
which  had  been  ordered  were  found  on  arrival  here 
not  to  have  been  sent.  The  state  of  the  expedition 
as  I  found  it  on  arrival  here  was  as  follows  : — In 
addition  to  those  gentlemen  I  have  already 
mentioned,  it  had  been  joined  by  Captain  the 
Honourable  Charles  Coventry,  of  the  B.B.P.,  who 
had  obtained  three  months'  leave.  Also  I  had 
been  fortunate  in  securing  the  ser\' ices  of  Mr.  Hans 
Lee,  a   well-known    and  most    successful  hunter. 


120  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


through  Avhom  I  hoped  to  obtain  some  good  big- 
game  shooting.  The  remainder  of  the  joer- 
sonnel  was  as  follows :— 3  white  servants,  2 
"  Cave  boys,"  4  grooms,  two  cooks,  with  2 
native  boys  to  assist,  2  donkey  herds,  1 4  nati\-e 
drivers  and  leaders.  The  live  stock  consisted  of 
103  oxen,  one  slaughter  cow,  13  riding  horses,  18 
mules,  1  mare  to  run  with  the  mules,  14  donkeys, 
11  dogs,  mostly  curs.  The  vehicles  Avere  1 
"  spider  "  carriage,  1  large  mule  waggon  on  springs 
draAvn  by  12  mules,  4  half-tent  waggons,  drawn  by 
18  oxen  each,  1  buck  or  uncovered  waggon,  also 
drawn  by  18  oxen,  the  Scotch  cart,  a  covered 
waggon  on  two  wheels,  drawn  by  8  oxen.  This 
quantity  of  wheeled  vehicles  and  cattle  and  mules 
had  to  draw  about  21,000  lbs.  of  meal,  mealies, 
potatoes,  onions,  and  various  other  provisions, 
2000  lbs.  of  ammunition,  1500  lbs.  of  trading- 
goods,  2500  lbs.  of  mining  tools  and  plant,  8000  lbs. 
of  baggage,  5000  lbs.  of  camp  equipment,  furniture, 
and  miscellaneous  articles,  3000  lbs.  of  corn  and 
forage  for  horses,  and  about  1500  lbs.  of  saddlery 
and  stable  equipment,  making  a  total,  with  allow- 
ances for  other  necessary  weights,  of  upwards  of 
40,000  lbs.,  or,  according  to  local  measurement, 
some  twenty  tons  weight  of  freight.  The  enumer- 
ation of  the  above  will  be  sufficient  to  indicate  the 
amount  of  thought,  care,  and  trouble  requisite  for 
the  conveyance  of  such  a  troop  and  such  a  quantity 
of  stores  across  such  a  country  as  South  Africa, 
with  its  hopeless  roads,  its  swamps,  its  rockv 
places,  fevers,   and  sicknesses,    without    incurring 


Carrying  Stores  across  South  Africa.    121 

accident,  djiinage,  or  loss.  The  trek  from  Vry- 
burg  to  Tiili,  a  distance  of  550  miles,  was  ac- 
complished in  a  period  of  fifty-four  days,  only 
thirty-five  days  of  which  were  occupied  in  actual 
treking,  thus  covering  the  distance  at  the  rate  of 
about  16^  miles  joer  travelling  day.  This  trek 
was,  moreover,  accomplished  without  the  loss  of  a 


Camp  life  at  Tuli.      Branding  cattle. 


single  ox,  with  the  loss  only  of  tAvo  mules,  one 
from  sickness,  one  from  accident,  and  with  the 
temporary  loss  of  seven  donkeys,  five  of  which 
have  been  recovered.  No  case  of  sickness  has 
occurred  among  the  men  of  the  expedition,  either 
white  or  coloured.  Major  Giles  was  fortunate  with 
the  horses,  all  of  which  were  brought  as  far  as  Tuli 


122  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

in  even  better  condition  than  they  were  in  Tvhen 
they  were  originally  Id  ought. 

The  horse  sickness  in  South  Africa  causes  such 
heavy  loss  that  I  am  tempted  to   dwell  on  this 
subject.     Most  authorities  are  of  opinion  that  it  is 
useless  to  purchase  horses  for  African  journeys, 
unless  they  are  what  is  termed  "  salted,"  that  is, 
have  had  and  have  recovered  from  the  sickness. 
Such   horses,   however,   are,  for   the    most   part, 
sorry,  -^vTetched  steeds,  without  spirit,  with  very 
inferior  strength.     They  by  no  means  enjoy  per- 
fect immunity  from  further  attacks  of  sickness. 
Large   prices,  moreover,   ranging    from    50/.  up- 
wards, are  asked  for  them.     Major  Giles  resolved 
to  ascertain  whether  by  great  and  constant  care 
he  could  not,  at  least  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
preserve  his  horses  from  the  sickness.     He  had  to 
encounter  a  great  deal  of  derision  from  persons 
of  all  sorts  of  experience,  who  freely  23rophesied 
he  would  not   bring  a  horse  alive  to  Tuli.     Mr. 
McKay,  who  undertook  the   charge  of  the  horses, 
gave   the   following   details    of  his   management. 
First,  the  horses  are  never  watered  before  11  a.m. 
or  after  3  p.m.     This  precaution  is  adopted  against 
the  evils  occasioned  by  the  morning  and  evening 
dews,  at  times  and  in  certain  jDlaces  very  heavy. 
Secondly,  when  outspanned,  the  horses  are  covered 
with   a  horse-rug,  buckling  over  the   chest,    and 
Avith  a  blanket  rug,   doubled,   coming   well  back 
over  the  loins.     At  sundown  the   horses  are  fed 
in  nosebags,  the  bottoms  of  which  have  been  care- 
fully tarred.     Three  times  a  week  each  horse  has 


Major  Giles  and  his  Horses.  123 

its  nostrils  slightly  tarred  inside,  once  a  week  a 
tonic  dose  is  administered  to  each,  composed  of 
about  two  wine-glasses  of  gin,  ^vith  enough 
quinine  to  co^'er  a  shilling,  well  piled  u]),  mixed 
with  the  gin.  Further,  in  places  with  an  CA'il 
re23utation  for  horse  sickness,  the  horses  Avere 
never  allowed  to  go  to  the  river  or  other  water  ; 
buckets  of  water  Avere  brought  to  the  camp  and 
allowed  to  stand  for  an  hour  or  more  in  the  sun. 
and  then  slightly  chilled  by  mixing  warm  water. 
The  great  and  principal  precaution  is  that  some 
trustworthy  person  should  daily  see  that  the 
grooms  carry  out  these  regulations  conscientiously. 
A  few  minutes'  neglect  destroys  the  effect  of  all 
the  care  of  days  and  weeks.  I  admit  that  many 
persons  assert  that  all  precautions  against  horse 
sickness  are  unavailing,  and  that  we  were  favoured 
by  singular  luck  whicli  could  not  l^e  expected  to 
follow  us  lono'.i  Y^.|-  ^]^g  treatment  described 
above  is  strictly  in  accordance  with  common-sense 
and  with  elementary  sanitary  science,  and  is  surely 
worth  a  careful  trial  in  view  of  the  immense  value 
of  horses  to  the  traveller  in  South  Africa.  On 
one  day  while  at  Tuli  all  the  oxen  were  brought 
in  for  inspection  and  appeared  to  be  of  fine  quality 
and  in  first-class  condition.  Certainly  it  would 
not  have  been  thought  that  the  respective  spans 
had  been  engaged  during  six  weeks  in  drawing 
waggon-loads  of  about  7000  lbs.  apiece  over  a 
distance  of  550  miles  alono-  Bechuanaland  roads. 
The  camp  Avas,  by  special  permission  of  the  com- 
'  This  opinion  turned  out  to  be  correct. 


124  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

manclino-  officer,  pitched  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  river,  on  a  space  which  had  been  cleared  for 
a  cricket  ground.  All  around  is  the  Inish  veldt, 
where  at  some  distance  from  the  camp  the  animals 
find  orood  o-razinsr.  Here,  at  an  altitude  of  onlv 
1850  feet,  the  weather  is  found  to  be  much  warmer 
in  the  daytime  than  in  the  high  uplands  of  the 
Transvaal,  nor  is  there  any  frost  at  night.  At 
this  time  of  the  year  the  situation  is  fairly  healthy, 
and  there  is  no  fever  among  the  troops.  During 
the  rainy  season  the  troops  suffered  considerabh' 
from  fever  and  dysentery,  the  horse  sickness 
ravaged  the  mounts,  some  80  per  cent,  of  horses 
having  been  lost.  It  is  said  that  the  Chartered 
Company  will  give  up  this  station,  "which  is  to  be 
taken  over  by  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police. 

Before  our  departure  the  military  force  enter- 
tained the  expedition  at  a  camjD  fire  concert.  A 
colossal  and  Plutonic  bonfire  threw  a  wild  and 
glaring  light  upon  the  surrounding  scenery  and 
upon  the  groups  of  men  and  natives  in  many- 
coloured  and  motley  attire.  The  attendance 
must  have  numbered  over  a  hundred.  Many  ex- 
cellent songs  were  sung,  one  recitation  bearing 
on  Sir  Charles  Warren's  Bechuanaland  exploits 
achieved  a  great  success.  A  single  verse  will  in- 
dicate the  spirit  of  the  poem  and  the  reputation  of 
the  officer  :  — 


So  you  see  there  was  no  iigliting,  on  tliat  glorious  campaign, 
For  not  a  man  was  wounded,  not  a  warrior  was  slain  ; 
And  the  doctors  had  an  easy  time,  as  doctors  always  will, 
Campaigning  with  a  General  who  goes  fighting  with  a  quill. 


A  Camp  Fire  Concert.  125 

It  was  after  eleven  before  the  programme  Avas 
completed,  of&cers  and  men  taking  equal  parts  in 
the  performance.  The  men  were  in  the  highest 
spirits,  the  officer  being  obviously  extremely 
popular.  At  the  close  Sir  Frederick  Carrington 
addressed  them  in  a  stirring  speech,  and  was 
enthusiastically  cheered.  Truly  an  impressive 
scene.  Here,  some  thousands  of  miles  awav 
from  England,  in  a  country  inhabited  by  a 
numerous  tribe  of  savages  of  noted  ferocity,  not 
a  hundred  miles  from  the  kraal  of  the  sTeat 
Lol^engula,  was  a  tiny  group  of  men  holding  their 
own,  maintaining  their  authority  ]3artly  by  their 
own  reputation  for  efficiency,  partly  because  they 
represented  the  might  and  prestige  of  the  Empire  ; 
never  dreaming  for  a  moment  that  a  shadow  even 
of  danger  could  approach  them,  never  doubting 
their  ability  to  dissipate  any  danger  should  it 
arise.  This  is  the  group  of  military  force  which 
holds  for  England  a  portion  of  South  Africa,  from 
Kimberley  to  Fort  Salisburv,  comprising  a  territory 
as  large  as  Germany  and  France,  replete  with 
elements  of  a  hostile  and  dangerous  nature.  May 
good  fortune  ever  attend  and  reward  them. 


126  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THROUGH    BECHUANALAND. 

Cold  nights  in  cam}) — The  horse  sickness — Visit  from  Kaffir 
women  to  our  Mariko  Kiver  camp — Outspan  on  the  banks 
of  the  Crocodile  River — We  cross  the  Mahalopsie  River — 
Dr.  Saur  and  Mr.  Williams — Camp  at  Silika — Arrival  at 
the  Lotsani  River — The  luxury  of  a  shave — The  Suchi 
River — Headquarters  of  the  Bechuanaland  Police  at  Mat- 
laputta — The  Macloutsie  River — I  lose  myself  near  the 
Semalali  River  while  in  quest  of  game — Catching  up  the 
waggons. 

From  the  Journal  kejjt  by  Surgeon  Hugh  Rayner. 

Ramatlabana,  Stutdfty,  May  ^Ist. — We  are 
seventeen  miles  north  of  Mafekiug,  out  of  British 
territory,  but  in  the  British  Protectorate.  Nights 
are  very  cokl.  As  soon  as  the  sun  goes  down  the 
temperature  changes,  and  after  midnight  the  cold 
is  intense  and  continues  till  sunrise,  when  it 
gradually  becomes  warmei'.  There  is,  however, 
always  a  cool  breeze  during  the  day,  so  that  the 
heat  of  the  sun  is  considerably  tempered.  If  by 
chance  the  sun  becomes  obscured  by  clouds  a 
feeling  of  cold  is  at  once  experienced.  As  a 
specimen  of  the  night  cold,  I  slept  last  night  in  a 
camp  bed  with  a  cork  mattress  and  three  l^lankets. 
I  was  in  a  rough  flannel  sleeping  bag  and 
covered  with  two  camel's  hair  blankets  and  a 
sheepskin  kaross.  Yet  my  feet  never  became 
Av^arm,  and  were  quite  cold  on  waking  this  morn- 


The  Horse  Sickness.  127 

ing.  Mr.  Sinclair  came  across  to  our  camp  this 
morning,  and  kindly  offered  to  take  us  out  for 
some  duck-shooting,  so  we  all  made  a  start  on 
horseback  to  some  "  vleys  "  some  few  miles  away. 
We  came  across  a  flight  of  seven  duck,  all  of 
which  Ave  killed,  after  foUoAving  them  backAvards 
and  forAvards  from  "  Adey  "  to  ''  A'ley." 

Wednesday,. June  ?>rd. — At  1  a.m.  AA^e  inspanned, 
and  had  not  2)roceeded  more  than  a  couple  of 
miles  before  one  of  the  Avaojo^ons  stuck  in  the  mud 
in  a  drift.  The  night  Avas  A^ery  dark,  the  moon 
being  in  its  last  quarter.  Then  tAvo  others  stuck. 
EA'CntuallA^  one  of  them — the  meal  wao-oon— had 
to  be  unloaded  and  the  others  double-spanned 
before  they  could  be  extricated.  We  did  not 
start  again  till  just  belbre  daylight — a  hard  night 
for  eA'ery  one  except  myself.  I  had  a  comfortal^le 
night's  rest,  and  being  A^ery  tired  trom  my  exer- 
tions of  the  preAious  day,  slept  on  quietly  in  my 
"  Kartel,"  ^  all  unconscious  of  what  Avas  going  on 
outside.  We  had  intended  to  reach  Sandpits  by 
daylight,  Avhich  is  the  nearest  water  (supposed), 
but  luckily  Ave  came  upon  a  "  Adey  "  where  there 
is  seldom  water,  al)out  nine  o'clock,  so  aa^c  out- 
spanned  there.  .  .  .  xVt  3.30  p.m.  Ave  inspanned, 
and  at  5.30  arrived  at  Sandpits.  On  the  Avay  one 
of  the  mules  AA^as  attacked  by  the  dreaded 
"  horse "  sickness,  and  was  dead  in  three  hours. 
This  sickness  is  Avell  knoAvn  in  South  Africa.  It 
attacks  horses  and  mules  suddenly,  but  donkeys 
are  exemj)t.  An  animal  is  c|uite  well  up  to  a 
'  Large  waggon  slung  mattress. 


128  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

certain  time,  in  fact,  it  may  be  in  rather  better 
fettle  than  usual,  when  suddenly  it  appears  un- 
well. It  ceases  to  work  and  becomes  very  tottery. 
In  a  few  minutes  it  is  noticed  to  be  breathins; 
hard,  and  its  nostrils  working  are  evidences  of 
great  distress.  Almost  at  the  same  time  a  dis- 
charge of  mucus  appears  at  the  nostrils,  which 
presently  becomes  very  profuse.  The  distress 
increases,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  animal,  becoming 
weaker  and  weaker,  and  more  and  more  distressed 
in  its  breathing,  falls  do^vn  and  dies.  Post-mortem 
shows  general  congestion  of  the  internal  organs, 
especially  of  the  lungs.  All  kinds  of  remedies 
have  been  tried,  and  have  failed.  In  the  case  of 
our  mule,  half  a  bottle  of  gin  and  a  large  table- 
spoonful  of  tjuinine  were  at  once  administered, 
and  this  seemed  to  revive  it  for  a  time ;  l3ut  soon 
the  weakness  came  on  again,  and  the  animal  died. 
June  11th. — Sequana  is  about  fifteen  miles  from 
Maripi,  our  last  halting  place.  It  is  on  the  banks 
of  the  River  Mariko,  which  provides  good  water. 
We  are  outspanned  about  200  yards  from  the 
river  by  the  road  side.  This  afternoon  a  lot  of 
Kaffir  women  came  round  with  milk,  pumpkins, 
etc.,  for  barter.  They  were  a  very  good-natured 
looking  lot.  I  happened,  at  the  time,  to  be 
reading  the  special  number  of  SoutJb  Africa,  which 
contains  many  excellent  pictures  of  this  part  of 
the  world  and  of  the  various  tribes.  I  showed 
them  to  the  women,  and  they  recognized  several 
specimen  portraits.  The  first  was  a  picture  of 
Matabele  women,  correct  in  detail,  because  it  was 


Kaffir  Women.  129 


coi^ied  from  a  i3hotogra|)h  by  Snrgeon-Major 
MellacleAv.  One  woman  immediately  recognized 
it,  and  clapped  her  hands,  calling  out,  "  Ha,  ha  I 
Matahele,  >\Iatahele  1  '  Then  came  some  pictures 
of  soldiers,  which  they  also  recognized,  and  with 
^vdiich  they  were  equally  pleased.  A  pleasant 
half-hour  was  thus  sj^ent.  A  Kaffir  man  sold  me 
his  hat  for  6^.,  which  I  took  a  fancy  to,  and  which 
was  simply  the  skin  of  a  very  pretty  little  red  and 
black  bird,  tied  jauntily  on  the  left  side  of  his 
head  with  a  piece  of  string.  Then  he  went  away, 
but  soon  returned  Avith  another  "  hat "  on.  This, 
hoAvever,  was  not  nearly  so  pretty,  and  I  made 
no  offers.     I  have   no  doubt  that  had  I  bouoiit  it, 

CD  ' 

he  could  have  a^Dpeared  in  any  number  of  "  hats  " 
in  succession.  I  also  bought  from  him  a  jackal's 
tail  (used  for  brushing  flies  a^vay)  for  Qd.,  and 
my  Kaffir  friend  went  away  delighted  with  his 
bargains. 

Tuesday,  June  IQtJi. — Inspanned  2  a.m.  Arrived 
at  Palla  Camp — seventeen  miles  from  Xo.  4  Post 
Station.  Our  outsj^an  is  on  the  banks  of  the 
Crocodile  River,  about  hfty  yards  distant.  The 
actual  camp  of  the  Bechuanaland  Police  is  about 
four  miles  further  on,  where  there  is  also  a  tele- 
graph station.  A  small  detachment  of  the  police 
are  stationed  there.  There  are  tAvo  stores,  one  of 
Avhich  is  Avithin  half  a  mile  of  our  outspan.  I  Avas 
told  that  there  AA^as  a  good  deal  of  fever  about 
here,  contracted  at  the  close  of  the  late  rainy 
season,  but  there  is  ahvays  more  or  less  fever 
along  the  banks  of  the  Crocodile.     The  country 

K 


130  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


lip  to  now  has  l^een  getting  gradually  more 
wooded  since  A'ryburg,  and  the  trees  getting 
gradually  larger.  The  thorns  all  the  way  ha^'e 
been  very  troublesome,  especially  the  well-known 
"  wait-a-bit "  thorn.  .  .  .  AVe  found  several 
waggons  outspanned  here,  Mr.  Winslow  and  ]3arty 
amono-  them.     AVent  out  four  hours  Avith  a  rifle 

o 

in  the  morning,  but  saw  nothing.  In  the  after- 
noon ]Mr.  Winslow  came  and  showed  us  the  wa)' 
to  a  large  ''  vley  "  about  two  or  three  miles  away, 
where    there   were    numbers    of   duck    and    teal. 

Here  we  shot  about  a 
dozen  birds,  but  Giles 
\\as  the  only  one  who 
iiianaoed  to  brine*  his  bird 


to  bag,  a  very  large  duck  ; 
in  fact,  almost  as  big  as 


with 


a    verv 


a     goose, 

l)road  span  of  wings. 
All  the  other  birds  fell 
into  the  "•vley,"  and  it 
^vas  too  deep  to  wade 
foi-  them.  Also  croco- 
diles were  said  to  li^e 
there  sometimes.  Dark- 
ness brought  an  end  to 
our  afternoon  sport,  so 
we  returned  to  camp, 
feeUng  M-e  had  rather  wasted  our  cartridges, 
and  killed  birds  for  no  reason.  Mv.  Winslow  and 
three  of  his  party  came  to  supper,  and  we  had  a 
"  smoking  concert "  over  a  roaring  camp  fire.  .  .  . 


Fording  a  river. 


Crossing  the  Mahalopsie  River.         131 

I  was  called  out  to  see  a  Kaffir  *'  boy "  who  had 
been  shot  in  the  leg  by  a  man,  "  X  ""  for  mutiny. 
The  man  had  pulled  out  a  knife,  and  meant  mis- 
chief. He  was  well  pep})ered  in  the  calf  of  one 
leof,  and  I  don't  thiuk  he  will  be  able  to  sit  doAvn 
Avith  ease  for  a  few  days.  However,  he  was  not 
seriously  hurt,  as,  of  course,  ''  X/'  took  good  care 
not  to  shoot  till  he  was,  so  to  speak,  at  a  safe 
distance. 

Friday,  June  19///. — Our  outspan  is  about  fifteen 
miles  from  our  hist  halting-place,  and  we  are  siill 
on  the  banks  of  the  river.  There  is  a  post- 
chanoino-  station  close  bv,  and  from  here  bullocks 
are  used  for  the  post-cart  instead  of  mules.  This 
is  on  account  of  the  dreaded  horse  sickness.  .  .  . 
AVc  crossed  the  ]\la]ialopsie  River  this  afternoon. 
There  "sras  no  water  in  it,  sinijDly  a  dry,  sandy 
bottom.  jMackay  and  I  were  walking  across  to- 
"■ether  when  he  drew  mv  attention  to  two 
depressions  in  the  sand  in  the  middle  of  the  river- 
bed. These  were  about  a  couple  of  yards  in 
diameter  and  a  couple  of  feet  deep.  "  See,"  said 
Mackay,  ''  some  one  has  been  digging  for  water 
here.  I'll  bet  there  is  water  about  a  foot  deeper. 
I'll  show  vou."  He  then  commenced  dio-gino; 
vigorously  Avith  his  hands  and  shovelling  the  sand 
out.  Sure  enough,  about  a  foot  deeper,  water 
flowed  into  the  hole.  "That's  worth  knowinir," 
said  he,  and  we  proceeded  on  our  waA\ 

Tuesdaij,  June  2ord.  —  Inspanned  at  1  a.m.,  and 
trekked  out  twelve  miles,  making  with  last  night's 
trek  about  tAventy  miles   from  our  last  outspan. 

K  2 


.t32  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

Arrived  at  sunrise  at  tlie  AYegdraai  (pronounced 
Vechdri).  This  means  in  Dutch  the  parting  of  the 
river  from  the  road.  Giles  tells  me  last  night's 
trek  was  a  very  good  performance,  but  of  course 
our  oxen  are  real  good  'uns,  and  are  very  fit,  and 
still  look  in  splendid  condition.  There  are  several 
waggons  outspanned  near  us.  Feathered  game 
was  scarce  to-da}'.  Inspanned  at  4  p.m.  Soon 
after  starting  Giles  received  a  note  from  Dr.  Saur 
and  Mr.  Williams,  miniuo-  enoineer,  Avho  are  ooino- 
up  to  Mashonalaud  for  the  Zambesi  Exploring 
Company.  They  asked  for  the  "  loan "  of  some 
bread  and  a  few  necessaries  of  life.  It  appears 
that  they  have  been  coming  up  the  road  quickly 
in  a  Cape  cart,  and  expected  to  catch  up  their 
waggons  about  here.  Unfortunately  their  waggons 
had  by  accident  taken  a  wrong  road,  and  they 
were  stranded  without  any  "  skoff."  Of  course 
Giles  soon  found  them  the  necessaries  required. 

Wednesdaif.  June  2-itJi. — Inspanned  at  1  a.m., 
and  at  daybreak  arri\'ed  at  Silika,  twenty  miles 
from  our  last  camp.  The  road  was  very  rough. 
There  used  to  l)e  a  store  here,  but  it  has  been 
moved.  There  is  a  small  detachment  of  the 
Bechuanaland  police.  AVe  have  left  the  Crocodile 
River  well  to  the  right.  This  is  a  very  pi-ettily- 
situatecl  place.  There  is  a  large  kopje  at  our  back 
and  several  others  around.  There  is  a  small 
stream  of  running  water  about  half  a  mile  distant. 
The  outspan  place  is  very  dirty.  There  are  lions 
about  here,  and  a  Kaffir  shot  one  the  other  day 
and  sold  the  skin  to  a  white   man  for  1 5$.     There 


Dr.  Saur  and  Mr.  Williams. 


133 


are  nlso  koodoo  and  giraffes.  Dr.  Saur  and  Mr. 
AVilliams  ariived  in  their  Cape  cart,  and  were 
made  honorary  members  of  our  mess.  Thev  had 
seen  a  herd  of  wiklebeest  just  a  few  miles  away, 
and  Mi\  W'iUiams,  while  looking  for  feathered 
o-aine,  came  across  a  hyaena,  which  he  immediately 


The  main  cohimn  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Lotsaui 


let  driye  at  and  killed.  We  rest  here  to-day,  as 
there  is  a  twenty-four  mile  trek  to  the  next  water. 
All  along  the  road  for  the  last  fe^v  days  ^ve  have 
come  across  dead  bullocks,  the  result  of  lung- 
sickness. 

Tliursday,  June  '25th. — Inspanned  at  2  p.m.,  and 
at    4  we  outspanned   for   an  hour,     Outspanned 


134  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  Sourri  Africa. 


again  about  8,  having  trekked  about  12  miles,  Dr. 
Saur  and  ]\Ir.  AVilliams  following  in  their  Cape 
fart.  John  (our  cook)  has  been  seedy  with  a 
bilious  attack,  and  Mackay  had  a  headache — the 
result  of  a  bathe,  which  he,  Edgell,  and  myself 
took  in  a  nice  clear  pool  which  we  found  this 
morning.  The  water  was  rather  cold.  The  dust 
on  the  road  seems  to  get  worse  every  day.  It  gets 
into  one's  mouth,  eyes,  nose,  and  ears  ;  fills  one's 
kartel,  and  makes  everything  filthy.  It  is  always 
red  sandstone,  I  suppose. 

Friday,  June  2(jf]i. — Arrived  at  Lotsani  River  at 
9  a.m.,  which  we  crossed  and  camped  on  the  further 
side.  The  road  throuo'h  the  river  was  down  and 
up  steep  l:)anks,  but  we  came  through  it  well.  AYe 
have  done  twenty-five  miles  from  Silika  in  three 
'•  skoffs,"  ^  which  is  excellent  trekking.  The  river 
is  very  low,  but  the  water  is  clear.  It  is,  ho^vever, 
brackish  and  unpalatable,  and  is  apt  to  produce 
diarrhoea.  The  outspan  place  is  dirty,  but  none 
other  is  possible.  The  nights  have  been  much 
warmer  the  last  few  days,  and  it  is  no  longer  a 
question  of  sheepskin  kaross  and  numberles^^ 
blankets.  To-da\'  we  discovered  a  Hindoo  barljcr, 
who  is  making  his  way  up  country  on  some  Kaffir 
waggons,  so  "we  all  indulged  in  the  luxury  of  a  cut 
and  shave.  Inspanned  at  -I  p.m.,  and  trekked  six 
miles,  that  is,  about  two  miles  bevond  Elebi,  ci'oss- 
iug  a  small  drift  on  the  way.  Elebi  is  a  small 
police-station,  there    being   now   Uvo   men  there. 

^  Skoff ;  journey  from  outspan  to  outspan,  or  from  meal  to 
meal. 


The  Camp  at  Suchi  Rivkr. 


135 


Tlie  fort  that  was  hero  lias  been  abandoned.  The 
jDlace  is  of  some  importance  as  one  where  police 
can  be  concentrated  for  patrolling  the  Crocodile 
River,  Avhich  is  al30ut  twelve  miles  distant,  in  case 
of  trouble  with  the  Boers. 

Saturday^  June  21t]i. — Arrived   at  Suchi   lii\er 


The  camp  of  the  main  column  at  Sachi  River. 


at  daybreak,  and  encamped  on  the  other  side. 
<jur  trek  here  was  al)out  sixteen  miles.  The  River 
Suchi  is  similar  to  the  Lotsani,  being  now  merely  a 
thread  of  ^\'ater  in  the  river-bed.  The  water  is 
])rackish  and  unpalatable,  and  leaves  crusts  of  salt 
on  the  banks  where  it  has  evaporated.  The  country 
is  flat  all  round.     About  ten  o'clock  this  morniu"- 


136  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


it  commenced  to  rain,  and  rained  in  showers  for 
about  an  hour.  Thunder  was  heard  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  TransvaaL  Rain  is  a  A'eiy  unusual 
occurrence  in  these  parts  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

Tae.sdaj/,  Jane  SOtli. — Arrived  at  sunrise  at 
Macloutsie,  and  camped  on  the  other  side  of  the 
River  Matkputta.  Macloutsie  consists  of  a  police 
camp,  telegraph  station,  two  good  stores,  and  a 
fort.  It  is  now  the  headquarters  of  the  Bechuana- 
land  Police.  There  arc  at  present  about  100  men 
stationed  here.  iVbout  two  months  ago  the 
telegraph  wire  was  prolonged  here  from  Pelapswe, 
and  since  then  on  to  Tuli  Fort.  The  horse  sickness 
is  very  bad  here,  and  I  was  informed  that  about  80 
per  cent,  of  the  horses  died  last  year.  The  river 
is  small,  but  the  water  is  very  good.  Giles,  Edgell, 
Mackay,  and  I  rode  in  and  called  at  the  store, 
where  we  bought  a  set  of  cricket  matei'ials.  It 
seemed  odd  to  find  such  thino;s  for  sale  in  the 
midst  of  an  African  wilderness.  In  the  evenino^ 
we  dined  at  the  ofhcers'  mess.  After  dinner  the 
liand,  which  consisted  of  a  violin,  a  flute,  and  a 
guitar,  played,  and  we  passed  a  very  pleasant 
evening.  Such  a  charming,  cheery  lot  of  fellows, 
and  most  hospitable  too.  The  officers  all  ]We  in 
thatched  huts,  and  the  mess  hut  is  the  same  sort, 
but  on  a  larger  scale,  of  course. 

Wednesday,  July  l.s-f. — Trekked  to  the  further 
side  of  the  Macloutsie  Ri\'er,  about  five  miles.  At 
present  the  river  is  a  small  stream  of  good,  clear, 
running  water,  and  about  eighty  yards  in  breadth 
at  the  crossing.     The  descent  and  ascent  are  fairly 


Lost  in  the  African  Wilderness. 


0/ 


steep,  and  it  is  a  stiffish  pull  for  wao-gons.  Some 
Kaffir  waggons  following  us  that  are  carrying 
annnnnition,  etc.,  to  Maslionaland  had  to  double 
span  each  waggon,  and  then  thev  had  a  lot  of 
trouble  because  their  trek  chains  broke  over  and 
over  again.  AVe  trekked  about  four  miles  after 
sundown.  Road  was  very  hilly  and  crossed  by 
many  dry  spruits. 

Tfmrsdaj/,  JiiJij  2 ml. — Arrived  sunrise  LijDokwe 
River  ;  good  road  from  our  last  camp,  Avhich  is 
about  eight  miles  aAvay.  River  noAv  about  five 
yards  in  In'eadth  ;  clear,  good  running  water. 
There  are  many  pheasants  and  guinea-foAvl  here, 
and  our  larder  is  no  ay  Avell  supplied  Avith  game. 

Friday,  July  3. — ArriATd  Semalali  RiA^er,  about 
eighteen  miles  trek.  I  don't  think  I  am  likely  to 
forget  this  place.  It  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the 
Avorld  to  lose  one's  Avay  in  this  country,  and  to-day 
is  not  the  first  time  it  has  hapj^ened  to  me.  You 
take  careful  landmarks  of  kopjes,  the  direction  of 
the  Avind,  the  position  of  the  sun,  etc.  ;  you  pro- 
Adde  yourself  Avith  a  i)air  of  field  glasses  and  a 
compass,  and  then  imagine  that  it  is  impossible  to 
mistake  the  direction  from  Avhich  a^ou  came.  And 
yet  Avhen  }^ou  arriA^e  at  some  point  to  Avliich  you 
liaA'e  taken  a  l:)ee-line,  say  a  couple  of  miles  aAvay, 
you  look  back,  and,  somehoAv  or  other,  the  Avliole 
scene  seems  changed.  A'our  landmarks  appear  in 
a  different  position,  the  Avind  is  noAv  in  another 
quarter,  and  }'our  camp,  from  Avhicli  you  could  see 
distinctly  the  spot  on  Avliich  you  noAV  stand,  is  in- 
visible.    You  search  the  landscape  carefully  Avith 


138  Men,  Mines,  and  Animat.s  in  South  Africa. 


your   field  glasses,  and  nil  looks  different. 


hill  over  there  should  be  more  to  the  right 


That 
that 

other  smaller  one  should  be  more  to  the  left  and 
nearei".  You  are  loth  to  believe  at  first  that  you 
do  not  quite  know  where  you  are,  but  as  you  walk 
on,  thinking  you  are  going  in  the  right  direction, 

your  landmarks  become 
more  and  more  changed. 
All  around  you  is  a 
l^oundless  stretch  of  un- 
dulating plains  covered 
with  bush  and  scruli, 
sometimes  so  thick  that 
vou  see  nothing  bevond 
fifty  yards.  Occasionalh' 
you  come  across  a  kopjie, 
when  vou  have  no  idea 
vou  are  anywhere  near 
one.  Xot  a  sound  is  to 
be  heard,  except  jDcrhaj^s 
the  occasional  twittering 
of  a  bird  or  the  rustle  of 
the  leaves  and  long  grass. 
At  lemrtli  vou  feel  olilio'ed 
to  own  that  vou  dont 
know  where  you  are.  It 
is  a  time  of  desolation,  and  you  cannot  but  feel  liow 
utterly  helpless  you  will  be  should  vou  be  unable  to 
find  your  camp  before  sundown.  It  was  this  feeling 
that  I  experienced  to-day.  I  went  out  soon  after 
8  a.m.,  having  taken  a  little  coffee  and  biscuit, 
only  intending  to  potter  about  after  pheasants  and 


The  waggon  coiiductur  sports  a 
new  pair  of  "  store  "  trousers. 


"A  Time  of  Desolation."  lyg 

guinea-fowl  for  a  couple  of  hours  or  so.  I  crossed 
the  ri^  er  and  walked  towards  a  small  ko^^jie.  In 
about  an  hour  I  thought  it  time  to  return  for 
breakfast ;  but,  somehow  or  other,  missed  my  wa\' 
in  some  long  o-rass.  I  tliought  it  didn't  matte  i- 
^'ery  much,  as  I  knew  the  general  direction  of  the 
road,  so  steered  north-west  so  as  to  cut  it  at  right 
angles.  But  I  A^'alked  on  and  on  through  the 
Avilderness,  and  no  road  appeared.  After  more 
than  a  couple  of  hours'  hard  walking  in  the  hot 
sun  with  three  dead  guinea-fowl  dragging  on  my 
waist-belt,  and  a  heavy  gun,  which  felt  heavier 
every  moment,  on  my  shoulder,  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion this  wasn't  good  enough,  and  determined  to 
break  a  rule  which  I  have  often  had  instilled  into 
me  in  this  country,  namely,  that  when  once  you 
strike  out  in  a  certain  direction  you  shouldn't  go 
l)ack.  However,  I  am  glad  I  did  go  back,  for  I 
know  now  that  the  road  at  this  particular  point  goes 
south-east,  or  nearly  so,  whereas  all  the  way  up  to 
now  it  has,  of  course,  been  north-east.  The  long- 
grass  was  very  trying,  and  I  never  was  as  thirstv 
in  my  life.  A  Yankee  can  boast  about  a  ten-dollar 
thirst,  Init  I'd  have  given  mine  away  for  nothing,  and 
1  ne\er  want  another  one  like  it.  Suddenly  I 
heard  a  rustle,  and,  looking  up  quickly,  saw  a  head 
of  splendid  hartebeest,  which  animal  I  liad  not  seen 
before,  and  which  I  recognized  bv  their  horns. 
There  were  nine  of  them,  and  thev  came  along  at 
a  soi't  of  canter  trying  to  head  me  to  windward. 
They  stopped  all  of  a  sudden  at  a  little  over  100 
yards,  offering  a  splendid  shot  broadside.     Alas ! 


I40  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


I  had  only  a  shot-gun  with  ^o.  5  shot,  but 
I  couldn't  help  goino-  down  on  one  knee,  and 
taking  aim  at  one  just  liehind  the  shoulder,  and 
thinking  hoAv  I  must  get  him  with  rifle.  Off  they 
went  again,  and  I  was  alone  once  more  in  the 
wilderness.  About  fiye  minutes  afterwards  I  came 
upon  a.  pool  of  beautifully  clear  water — what  was 
left  of  a  small  dried  u]^  stream — and  fairly 
wallowed  in  it.  AVhile  here  I  thought  I  heard 
three  shots  fired  at  distinct  interyals,  so,  knowing 
that  was  the  signal  agreed  upon  in  case  any  one 
lost  his  way,  struck  out  in  that  direction.  Then 
from  the  top  of  a  kopje  I  made  out  the  riyer,  as  I 
thought,  by  a  line  of  green  trees.  This  proyed  to 
be  correct,  and  I  then  soon  came  up  with  our  own 
oxen  oTazinii'.  The  boys  directed  me  to  a:o  alonii' 
the  riyer  l3ank  l3ack  to  camp,  saying  I  couldn't  miss 
the  way.  By  accident  1  was  told  the  wrong  side 
of  the  riyer,  so  after  walking  about  three  more 
miles,  I  managed  to  lose  myself  again,  as  the  riyer 
all  seemed  to  o'o  to  nothino-  and  I  couldn't  tell 
which  was  riyer  and  which  was  ycldt.  Therefore 
I  walked  1)ack,  thinking  to  find  the  oxen  once 
more  ;  but  the  sun  was  getting  low,  and  I  found 
them  gone,  and,  worse  still,  couldn't  trace  the 
spoor.  Then  I  heard  shots  fired,  and  going  in  the 
direction  of  the  souud,  came  up  Avith  a  Kaffir 
with  some  oxen,  who  showed  me  our  waggons 
about  five  hundred  yards  distant.  I  got  in  after 
sunset,  and  found  the  waggons  just  gone — all 
except  the  mule  waggon,  which  Avas  waiting  for 
me.     Thank    goodness !   I'm   here    at    last.     I'ye 


SHOWING    A    FLARE-UP    FOR    THE    LOST    ONE. 


Page  1  to. 


Catching  Up  with  the  Waggons.         141 


"svalkecl  hard  from  eio-ht  this  mornino-  till  sundo'U'n 
"\7itl10ut  a-  morsel  of  food.  I  didn't  (|uite  relish 
the  idea  of  sleeping  ont  in  the  cold  Acldt  "wdth 
nothing  on  my  shoulders  but  a  flannel  shirt,  and 
no  fire  —  for,  mirahile  dictu,  I  had  forgotten 
cia"arettes  and  matches.  In  ten  minutes  ^ye  caught 
up  the  otlier  waggons  and  trekked  eight  miles.  I 
foro'ot  to  sav  tliat  the  tlii-ee  shots  I  thouii-ht  I 
heard  were  tlie  three  signal  shots,  sure  enouo;h, 
from  our  waggons,  and  they  probably  sa^•ed  me 
several  miles  Avalking.  It  only  shows  how  useful 
it  is  to  have  a  signal  agreed  upon.  One  thing  I 
am  certain  of — the  man  who  says  he  can't  lose 
himsell"  in  this  country  (and  I  hem-d  one  once)  is  a 
fool.     Nothino:  is  easier. 


142  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  X. 
trekking  and  hunting. 

We  entertain  Sir  Frederick  Carrington — Farewell  to  Fort  Tuli 
— The  business  of  inspanning — Our  camp  at  night — Sport 
with  Dr.  Kayner  and  Lee — Laying  the  telegraph  wire — 
The  Umzingwani  Kiver  Camp — Koodoos^  quaggas,  and 
honey  birds — Lee's  boy  nicknamed  "  The  Baboon  " — The 
elephant  fruit-tree — Lee  a  charming  companion  on  the 
Veldt — The  TJmsajbetsi  Kiver — Habits  of  our  oxen  and 
mules — Shooting  game  in  South  Africa — A  native  market 
— An  unsuccessful  antelope  hunt — The  mahogany  tree — 
Further  hunting  experiences— Camp  on  the  Bubjanc 
River — Our  conductor  ]\[yberg. 

On  the  evening  of  July  IGtli,  our  party  entertained 
Sir  Frederick  Carrington  and  some  of  the  officers  of 
the  B.B.P.  at  a  farewell  al  fresco  banqnet,  and 
passed  a  cheerful  evening  roimd  the  cam])  fire  with 
its  usual  accompaniment  of  song  and  tale.  I  had 
accompanied  Sir  Frederick  in  the  afternoon  on  a 
shootino-  excvirsion  after  reit-buck.  These  buck 
were  expected  to  be  found  in  a  long  and  wide  glade 
near  the  Limpopo,  where  tlie  rnshes  were  high 
and  the  grass  was  thick.  Some  dozen  mounted 
troopers  acted  as  beaters,  and  we  saw  seven  buck, 
of  which  two  were  killed.  They  are  about  the 
same  height  as  a  falloAV  deer,  with  red  bodies,  and 
white  bellies  ;  their  horns  are  short  and  pointed. 
We  also  secured  two  brace  and  a  half  of  pheasants. 
On  the  17th,  the  waggons  ^Wtli  our  baggage  from 
Pretoria  liaving  at  length  arrived,  we  left  Tuli. 
]\lr.  .Vlfred  Beit  left  early  in  the  morning  of  the 


iNSfAXNlNG.  143 


same  day,  his  waggons  having  preceded  him  some 
twelve  hours.  The  Imsiness  of  inspauning,  when 
a  novelty,  is  very  interesting.  The  camp  presents 
a  scene  of  great  apparent  confusion,  but  in  realitv 
all  is  in  perfect  order.  The  various  cases,  port- 
manteaux, and  bags,  having  been  packed,  the  tents 
struck  and  rolled  up,  and  the  bedding  folded,  and 
everything  being  assigned  to  its  proper  waggon, 
the  loading  of  the  waggons  begins,  a  work  re- 
(juiring  great  care  and  method.  All  this  work  is 
done  imder  the  orders  of  ]\Ir.  Edgell  and  Mr. 
Mackay,  whose  task  is  by  no  means  a  light  one. 
The  marshallinii-  of  o\ev  a  liundred  oxen,  of  the 
horses,  mules,  and  donkeys,  proceeds  with  precision 
imd  regularity,  the  "  boys  "  having  been  perfectl}' 
drilled  and  trained  on  "  the  trek "  through  Bc- 
chuanaland.  All  being  ready,  the  "  vorelopers  "  at 
the  head  of  their  teams,  the  drivers  causing  their 
"whips  to  crack  with  loud  repoi'ts,  off  starts  one  of 
the  waixffons,  five  minutes  later  another,  and  so 
on  ;  last  comes  my  "  spider ""  "with  its  team  of  eight 
mules.  The  Avhole  made  a  fine  procession  of  great 
length.  At  the  outset  a  work  of  difficulty  lay  before 
us,  the  crossing  of  the  drift  of  the  Tuli  River. 
Here  the  sand  for  more  than  one  hundred  yards  is 
deep  and  heavy,  and  double  spans  become  necessary 
for  each  waggon.  The  leatling  waggon,  having 
descended  into  the  river-bed,  is  halted,  the  span  of 
oxen  is  taken  out  of  the  second  wao-o-on  and  at- 
tached  to  the  first,  which,  drawn,  by  thirty-six 
oxen,  move  with  apparent  ease  through  the  drift. 
This  process,  repeated  A\-itli  each  waggon,  occupied 
some  two  hours,  and  it  was  four  o'clock  before  all 


144  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

the  waggons  were  safely  over  on  the  other  side. 
The  seven  waggons,  the  Scotch  cart,  and  spider,  all 
crossed  over  without  the  slightest  stickfast,  accom- 
plishing what  I  was  informed  was  a  record  achie\'e- 
nient.  Sir  Frederick  Carrington  and  some  of  the 
officers  of  the  B.B.P.  watched  our  proceedings,  and 
no  doubt  if  there  had  been  an}'  liitch,  or  if  any  of 
the  waggons  had  stuck,  much  chaff  would  have 
been  indulged  in  at  the  expense  of  the  expedi- 
tion ;  but  the  latter,  stimulated  by  the  knowledge 
that  critical  eyes  were  looking  on,  were  resolute 
to  present  the  smallest  mishap.  After  trekking 
six  miles  we  outspanned  and  set  U])  our  camp  for 
the  night.  The  appearance  of  The  camp  was 
striking.  The  moon  shining  brightly,  the  long- 
avenue  of  vrao'o'ons  on  each  side  of  the  road  with 
the  oxen  Iving  down,  attached  to  their  yokes, 
offered  a  most  singular  and  memorable  sight.  I 
had  bad  a  couple  of  hours'  shootuig  in  the  after- 
noon with  Sir  Frederick  Carrino-ton,  and  brouoht 
into  camp  a  small  I'oi-buck,  a  hare,  and  two 
pheasants.  On  the  ISth  e^'ery  one  astir  l^y  half- 
past  five,  the  waggons  were  started  oif  at  daybreak. 
They  trekked  seven  miles,  outspanned  at  nine,  the 
sun  being  already  warm.  Dr.  liayner,  Lee,  and  I 
rode  into  the  bush  to  look  for  buck.  I  found  one 
lying  dead  in  a  small  pool  of  ^\-ater,  Avliich  had 
been  shot  the  day  before  by  some  unfortunate 
sportsman.  We  carried  it  off  in  trium^jh  to  the 
camp,  Avhicli  we  reached  about  eleven  o'clock. 
Washing,  breakfast,  and  loitering  about  occupied 
the  time  till  four  o'clock.     It  is  but  true  to  sav 


FIRST    NIGHT    OUT    FROM    FORT    TULI, 


Page  144. 


A  Telegraphic  Expedition.  145 


that  I  was  the  nnl\'  loiterer,  every  one  else  having 
some  kind  <»1"  work  to  (!<).  ( )iir  (la\-  ramp  was 
pitched  on  the  Ipau'i  Ki\er.  a\  here  ^\vlv  also  en- 
(•am])e(l  a  laro-e  hodv  of  men  emplo\ed  1)\'  the 
Chartered  ('ompaiiv  in  lavini;'  the  telegraph  wire 
up  eountry  to  Fort  \'ietoria,  Avhieh  work  is  being 
accomplished  at  the  rate  of  about  three  miles  a  day. 
This  expedition  is  mainly  composed  of  250  of 
Khama's  men,  all  armed  ^\'ith  old  nniskets,  A\hich 
they  carry  slung  oyqy  their  shoulders,  generally 
loaded  and  at  full  cock,  together  with  their  picks, 
spades,  and  axes.  It  is  doubtful  whether  Loben- 
gula  will  quite  relish  the  incursion  into  his 
country  of  armed  men  from  the  tribe  of  his  here- 
ditary foe.  Khama  once,  some  years  ago,  nearly 
killed  Lobengula,  woiniding  him  badly  in  the  neck. 
The  work,  however,  of  lading  the  telegraph  has  to 
be  done,  Khama's  men  were  the  only  labour  which 
could  be  obtained,  and  Khama's  men  would  not 
come  into  Lobeno'ula's  country  unless  tliey  were 
fully  armed. 

On  the  19tli  we  reached  the  Umzingwani  River, 
about  twenty  miles  from  Fort  Tuli.  There  was  a 
good  amount  of  water  here.  ]Major  Giles,  I  and 
Lee,  after  breakfast,  rode  out  into  the  bush  to  look 
for  game.  Two  water-buck  -were  seen,  which  Lee 
shot  at  without  etfect.  I  got  a  shot  at  a  steimbuck, 
but  missed  him.  We  saAv  much  spoor  of  koodoo 
and  other  antelope.  A  heavy  shower  came  on,  a 
very  unusual  thing  in  this  part  of  Africa  at  this 
time  of  year,  and  ^ve  got  wet  through.  It  was  noAv 
found  that  our  hours  of  trekking,  which  had  been 


146  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

adopted  mainly  on  iny  account,  were  unsuitable  for 
tlie  oxen.  To  make  ;Liood  treks  it  is  necessary  for 
the  oxen  to  labour  either  during  the  night  or  late 
in  the  afternoon  when  the  sun  is  low.  AYe  decided 
to  return  to  the  hours  of  trekking  which  had  been 
adopted   by  the    expedition  diu'ing  their  passao-e 


Our  camp  011  the  Uiuziagwaui  iiiver. 


through  Bechuanaland,  from  1  a.m.  till  davl)reak, 
and  from  4.30  p.m.  until  8  p.m.  \\h?n  the  Avag- 
gons  started  in  the  early  morning  my  "  spider  "  re- 
mained behind  till  6  a.m.,  and  caught  the  waggons 
up  by  breakfast  time.  On  the  20th  I  rode  Avith 
Lee  into  the  bush.     We  came  across  two  koodoo 


Koodoos  and  Honey  Birds.  147 

bulls,  one  of  wjiieli  Lee  shot.  The  koodoo  is  a 
mao-nificent  antelope.  It  stands  asliiuli  as  a  mule, 
is  of  a  soft  a'rev  colour,  its  jju-c  is  heautifiillv 
marked  with  Avhite,  and  it  cai'i-ics  tine  twistinu" 
horns  from  tA\  o  to  three  feetlonu".  Furtlier  on  we 
[)ut  n])  two  ^vi\^{  ]n,U' :  Lee  ^li'ot  one  and  I  i^-ot  the 
other.  AVe  saw  nnieli  fresh  s])oor  of  (jnao-aa. 
This  mornino;  I  saw  for  the  first  time  the  houev-bird. 
We  followed  it  for  abont  half  a  jiiile.  When  Lee 
whistled,  it  gave  back  iin  answering  note,  flying 
from  tree  to  tree,  leading  ns  on.  AYhen  it  reached 
the  tree  occupied  by  the  wild  bees  it  answered  no 
more  to  Lee's  whistle,  indicating  that  the  honey 
Avas  found,  and  flying  off  to  a  neighbouring  tree  to 
Avatch  om*  jiroceedings.  As  Ave  were  unprovided 
Avdth  an  axe,  the  poor  bird  Avas  destined  to  be  dis- 
appointed in  us.  Lee  and  his  boy  both  climbed 
the  tree,  found  the  holes  into  the  hive,  and  got  Avell 
stung.  Lees  1)oa'  is  a  inost  remarkable  creature. 
He  is  a  long-legged,  lanky  bushman,  ansAvering  to 
the  name  of  "  Baavean.''  pronounced  "  Bobean," 
the  Dutch  for  bal)oon.  The  "  Baboon's  "'  skill  in 
spooring  game  is  almost  incredil)le,  he  possesses  an 
instinctiA'C  knoAvledgc  of  the  ha1)its  and  as  to  the 
Avhereabouts  of  animals.  Lee  and  the  "  Baboon  " 
Avill  spoor  game  through  the  bush  for  miles.  A^ 
tree  pointed  out  to  me  this  morning,  the  •'  ele- 
phant fruit  tree  "  :  bears  a  small  fruit  about  the 
size  of  an  apricot,  from  A\diich  when  ripe  exudes  j 
an  amber-coloured  syrup,  AAdiich  tastes  when  eaten 
something  like  a  preserAcd  candied  greengage. 
EleiDliants  are   said  to  be  very  fond   of  this  tree, 

L  2 


148  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

from  whence  comes  its  name.     Lee  I  find  an  ex- 
cellent companion    on  tli(!  \'el(lt,  for,  besides    his 
o;rcat  s]iootin_u'  skill  niid  ('X])erience,  lie  jjossesses  a 
lai'ii'e  aiiioniit  of  bush  lore  in  resjx'ct  of  animals,  of 
trees,  and   nf  plants.  Avlii(h   be   imparts   freely  and 
ao:reeal)l\'.     Tbese  mornino-  rides  thvono-h  the  bush 
have   an  indescribable   charm.     The   scenery,   tbe 
fresh  ail",  the  bright  simshine.  and  the  knoAvledge 
that  YOU  may  at  any  moment  come  upon  anything 
in  the  shape  of  game,  from  a  lion  or  a  giraffe  down 
to  a  pig  or  a    baboon,  lends  to  these  excursions  a 
most  exhilarating  interest.     We  rejoined  the  camp 
about    midday  on  the  Umsajbetsi    Riyer.     From 
This  riyer  to  the  I  nizingwani  is  a   long  stretch  of 
seyenteen  miles  without  Avater  for  the  oxen.     The 
Umsajbetsi  at  this  time  of  the  vear  is  only  a  bed 
of  dry  sand,  1  )ut  water  somewhat  brackish  is  easily 
obtainable  by   digging   a  foot  deep   in  the  sand. 
Captain  Williams  Avent  out  shooting  in  the  after- 
noon, and  wounded  badly  two  koodoo  cows,  but 
unfortunately  both  got  away.     xVt  fiye  o'clock  we 
inspanned.     I  find  it  yery  amusing  to  study  the 
habits  of  the  oxen.     In  spite  of  their  long  horns  and 
somewhat  wild,  formidable  appearance,  they  are,  in 
reality,  to  those  who  haye  to  driye  and  manage  them, 
the  most  docile,  patient  animals.     A  stranger,  how- 
ever, would  do  well  to  be  careful  not  to  go  too  close 
either  to  them  or  to  the  mules.     These  oxen  come  in 
in  the  evening  from  the  veldt  in  one  great  troop, 
driven  along  by  a  couple  of  boys.  They  range  them- 
selves in  spans,  as   schoolboys  at  a  school  range 
themselves  in  classes,  each  span  apparently  knowing 


The  Oxen  and  Muees.  149 

its  own  "waggon,  each  ox  its  own  23lace  in  the  span. 
The  mules  are  not  so  interesting  or  attractive,  and 
it  is  possible  that  a  mule  is  one  of  the  few  animals 
on  whicli  kind  treatment  is  absolutely  thrown  awa}'. 
Our  mule  waggon,  which  loads  over  2000  lbs.  ol" 
transport,  has  a  fine  team  of  twelve  mules.  They 
are  a  most  vicious  set,  and  would  readily  bite  or 
kick  at  any  one  except  Myberg,  the  conductor,  or 
Gideon,  his  "boy."  Myberg  tells  me  that  they 
would  even  go  at  him  if  he  happens  to  wear  a 
different  hat  or  coat  from  that  which  they  are 
accustomed  to.  These  mules  have  their  idiosyn- 
crasies. One  of  them  is  that  they  like  to  be 
accompanied  by  a  mare.  This  mare  is  tied  up 
alongside  the  span,  but  does  no  work  herself.  She 
goes  out  grazing  with  them  on  the  veldt,  and  I  am 
told  that  "svlien  mules  have  a  mare  along  with  them 
they  never  stray.  Another  curious  habit  of  theirs, 
which  it  often  anuises  me  to  watch,  is  that  of 
gnawing  each  other.  This  gnawing  appears  to  be 
a  regular  matter  of  baroain  between  them.  Tavo 
mules  approach  each  other,  one  wants  his  shoulder 
gnawed,  the  other  his  quarter.  Their  conformation 
makes  it  necessary  for  the  j)roceeding  that  each 
slioidd  gnaw  the  same  place  on  each  other  at  the 
same  time.  The  mule  with  the  itching  shoulder  sug- 
gests to  the  mule  with  the  itching  quarter,  "  If  you 
will  gnaw  my  itching  shoulder  for  a  few  minutes  I 
will  gnaw  your  shoulder  which  does  not  itch,  but 
will  then  gnaw  your  quarter  "which  does  itch,  and 
allow  you  to  gnaw  mine  which  does  not." 

Just  before  inspanning   this  evening  the  dead 


ISO  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


koodoo  was  brought  in  on  two  donkeys,  and  was 
the  object  of  much  admiration,  and  from  no  one 
more  than  the  cook.  On  the  21st  we  reached  the 
Umshlane  River,  a  ten  miles  trek.  This  river  is 
also  drv,  but  water  can  ho  got  by  digging. 
Havino-  ibimd  that  o-ame  in  the  vicinitv  of  the  road 
was  scarce,  probably  frightened  away  by  the  con- 
stant passage  of  Avaggons  and  by  the  telegraph 
expedition,  I  arranged  to  go  with  Lee  for  three  or 
four  days  away  from  the  road  into  the  veldt.  I 
took  with  me  the  "spider"  and  the  Scotcli  cart,  a 
small  two-wheeled  waggon,  and  provisions  for  six 
days.  The  mules  were  taken  from  the  mule 
wao-oon  and  attached  to  the   Scotch  cart,  and  the 

CO  " 

oxen  from  the  Scotch  cart  were  put  to  the  mule 
wao-cron.     I    started    off    in    the    afternoon   and 

Co 

reached  the  Bubye  Iliver  at  sunset.  The  next 
morning  at  daybreak  we  rode  off  into  the  veldt 
just  as  our  waggons,  which  had  been  trekking 
through  the  night,  passed  us.  Soon  we  came 
across  the  spoor  of  koodoo  and  cjuagga  mixed, 
which  Lee  and  the  '"  Baboon "  followed  for  up- 
wards of  half-an-hour.  A  low  whistle  from  the 
"  Baboon  "  denotes  that  he  perceives  the  antelope. 
I  jumj)  off  my  horse  and  see  through  the  trees 
very  indistinctly  three  koodoo  about  150  yards  oif, 
at  which  I  fire  without  success.  They  gallop  ofl', 
and  we  follow  on  their  spoor,  and  come  suddenly 
upon  some  roan  antelope  at  about  the  same  range 
as  were  the  koodoo.  Again  1  jump  off  my  horse 
and  fire,  and  again  Avithout  result.  This  Sonth 
African   shootino-   is    a  widelv   different  business 


Experiences  of  South  African  Shooting.  151 


from  Scotch  deer- 
stalking. Ill  Scot- 
land one  is  taken 
by  some  steady  old 
stalker  within  a 
hundred  yards  or 
s<J  of  the  stan- 
^^"hich  is  generally 
standing  in  an  open 
space,  and  offers 
you  a  fair  ''pot- 
shot," the  rifle 
beino-  rested  either 


Typical  natives  from  the  Umsblane  Kiver  districts. 


152   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


on  vour  knees  or  on  a  stone.  Here  you  have  to 
jump  oft'  a  horse,  look  through  a  quantity  of  trees 
and  bushes,  tire  from  the  shoukler,  and  fire  quickly, 
as  the  game  nearly  always  sees  you  as  soon  as 
you  see  it,  arid  hounds  oft'.  ^loreover,  it  is  in- 
credible hoAv  difficult  it  is  for  an  untrained  eye  to 
discern  these  wild  animals  through  the  bushes. 
On  more  than  one  occasion,  though  I  possess  a 
tolerably  good  pair  of  eyes,  Lee  has  tried  in  vain 
for  some  seconds  to  show  me  antelope  through  the 
bushes,  Avhicli  I  have  Ijeen  totally  unable  to  make 
out.  I  expect  that  to  be  successful  after  game  in 
the  Soutli  /Vfrican  veldt  requires  long  training  and 
experience.  Lee  galloped  away  after  the  roan 
antelope  tln'ough  the  bush,  helter-skelter.  I  re- 
mounted and  followed  him  as  best  I  could,  but  lost 
sight  of  him.  I  heard  Lee  lire  three  sliots,  and, 
on  coming  up  with  him.  found  that  lie  had  got 
one  antelope  on  the  ground,  about  80  yards  oft", 
and  another  badly  wounded  about  100  yards 
away,  moving  off.  We  followed  up  the  wounded 
one,  and  perceived  that  it  was  accompanied  by 
another  buck,  who  Avas  apparently  unwilling  to 
leave  it.  I  o'et  a  o-ood  shot  at  this  one,  and  kill 
it,  my  bullet  passing  through  both  shoulders. 
The  wounded  one  is  finished  oft'  with  another  shot, 
and  there  are  now  lying  on  the  ground  A-.ithin  the 
space  of  200  yards  three  roan  antelojje,  a  big 
cow  with  splendid  curving  horns,  and  two  young- 
bulls  whose  horns  were  shorter  and  almost  straight. 
Truh"  this  was  a  line  sight,  and  one  which  some 
English  sportsmen  would  giadlv  travel  8000  miles 


A  Native  Market.  153 


to  see.  The  roan  antelope  is  rather  smaller  than 
the  koodoo,  about  as  big  as  a  hne  Scotch  stag,  and 
quite  as  graceful  in  appearance.  The  main  body 
of  our  waggons  was  only  encamped  about  three 
miles  off.  The  "Baboon "  is  at  once  sent  off  to 
fetch  donkeys  to  carry  the  meat,  while  Lee  and  I 
remain  to  o-rallock  the  bucks  and  cover  them  over 
with  grass  and  branches  to  hide  them  from  the 
vultures.  AVe  then  rode  on  to  Major  Giles"  camp, 
where  I  luckily  found  my  friends  at  breakfast. 
Here  I  was  informed  that  the  eight  oxen  were  not 
strono;  enouo'h  to  drao-  the  mule  wao-o-on,  so  it  was 
decided  that  the  mule  wao-o-on  was  to  remain  be- 

~o 

hind  with  me,  and  the  light  Scotch  cart  was  to  be 
given  back  to  the  span  of  oxen.  This  arrangement 
was  a  pleasant  one  for  me,  for  ])y  it  I  obtained  the 
companionship  of  Captain  Williams,  who  occupied 
the  mule  wao-o-on.  I  remained  with  mv  friends  for 
some  hours,  and  witnessed  for  the  hrst  time  a 
regular  native  market.  A  small  group  of  Maka- 
laka  had  a  kraal  on  the  Umjinge  River,  close  to 
our  camp,  and  brought  pumpkins,  milk,  mealies, 
and  beans,  for  which  they  took  in  exchange  pieces 
of  coarse  blue  calico  (''limbo").  Trade  proceeded 
merrily,  with  much  laughter  and  joking.  Mr. 
Mackay  and  ]\Ir.  Coventry  conducted  the  barter, 
Ijut  I  am  fifraid  that  their  weights  and  measures 
would  not  always  have  sustained  the  examination 
of  an  English  police  inspector.  I  found  that  one 
yard  of  "  limbo  "  would  purchase  about  a  shilling's- 
worth  of  stuff.  Altogether  some  twehe  yards 
were  expended.     These  natives  were  bv  no  means 


154   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

an  unattractive  lot,  some  of  the  women  having  a 
Ijright  and  youthful  appearance  which  I'endered 
them  almost  good-looking.  They  were  \ery 
partially  clothed,  but  much  adorned  with  feather 
coiffure,  and  brass  ornaments  on  arms  and  leos.  I 
rode  afterwards  with  Lee  to  make  a  circuit  through 
the  veldt  back  to  my  camp.  AVc  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far  into  the  veldt  before  Lee  pointed  out  to 
me,  about  eighty  yards  to  ray  left,  a  sable  antelope. 
This  maunificent  creature,  with  Ions:  horns  arcliin2' 
light  over  on  to  its  back,  Avas  standing  in  some 
high  grass  looking  at  us  curiously.  On  horseback 
I  saAv  him  perfectly,  Imt  when  I  jumped  off  to  tire 
I  could  only  see  the  top  of  his  head  and  his  horns, 
owinu"  to  the  lonsr  "Tass,  I  took  a  careful  aim 
throuoii  the  li'rass  at  where  I  thought  his  shoulder 
ought  to  be,  but,  alas  I  Avithout  effect.  He 
bounded  off,  Lee  in  hot  pursuit.  Lee  got  a  shot 
at  him  some  distance  further  on,  but  missed.  We 
followed  him,  and  came  upon  him  a  third  time, 
but  got  no  shot,  as  he  was  too  (|uick  for  us.  and 
made  off  for  good.  AVe  were  i-ather  unhappy  over 
this  reverse,  for  the  sable  anteloi^e  is  the  antelope 
of  all  others  which  tlie  South  African  hunter 
covets.  In  the  coui'se  of  the  afternoon  we  saw  a 
great  deal  of  sjDoor  of  various  kinds  of  game,  but 
got  no  further  shot.  On  my  return  to  camp  I 
found  that  Captain  Williams  had  arrived  with  the 
mule  cart,  and  great  plans  were  made  over  dinner 
as  to  future  sport. 

The  following  morning    we    were   both    off  at 
daAvn,   Captain    AVilliams  aoinu'    in  one   direction 


The  Track  of  the  Lion.  155 


accompanied  by  the  ''  Baboon,"  Lee  and  I  proceed- 
ing towards  ^lonnt  Towlu,  whicli  rose  from  the 
plain  in  soHtary  grandeur  to  an  altitude  of  about 
5000  ft,  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  six  miles  dis- 
tant from  our  camp.  I  passed  a  profitless  day, 
seeing  nothing  but  a  couple  of  koodoo  cows,  at 
which  Lee  got  a  snap-shot.  I  saw,  hoAvever,  some 
objects  of  interest.  AVe  came  across  a  fine  big 
mahogany  tree  covered  Avith  seed  pods.  These 
seed  pods  resemble  a  xevy  large  locust  bean,  and 
the  covering  is  like  old  Ijlack  shoe-leather.  On 
opening  them  you  find,  ai'ranged  in  beautiful 
order,  about  eight  or  nine  seeds  in  shape  like 
acorns,  the  cup  being  the  brightest  scarlet,  the 
berry  ebony  l^lack.  Crossing  a  sandy  patch,  Lee 
pointed  out  to  me  the  spoor  of  t^vo  lions,  which  he 

said  was  about  two  davs  old,     I  now  jjciran  slio-htlv 

00,/ 

to  realize  that  one  miglit  come  across  a  lion  some 
of  these  shooting  days,  as  to  which  I  had  lieen  for 
some  reason  or  other  rather  incredulous.  Thirty- 
six  hours  from  this  time  I  was  destined  to  have  all 
doubts  as  to  the  existence  of  lions  dissipated  in 
a  startling  and  not  altogether  agreeable  manner. 
I  got  back  to  camp  very  tii'ed  about  foui"  in  the 
afternoon,  and  found  that  Captain  Williams  had 
been  equally  unsuccessful,  having  only  had  a  long 
and  difficult  shot  at  a  hartebeest,  and  a  bootless 
chase  after  a  sable  antelope.  Our  ill-luck  did  not 
prevent  us  from  making  an  excellent  dinner  off 
stewed  roan  antelope  of  our  oAvn  cooking.  During 
our  absence  our  camp  had  been  moved  in  an 
easterlv   direction,   some  three    and    a  half    miles 


156  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


away  from  the  road  into  the  veldt.  Consideriiiii' 
that  it  was  still  too  near  the  road  to  see  much 
game,  we  determined  to  de^'ote  the  next  day  to 
moving  the  camp  a  good  distance  further  into  tlie 
veldt  down  the  Buhjane  Ri^'er.  This  we  effected. 
It  was  a  trek  of  much  interest,  as  we  had  to  make 
our  OAvn  road  through  the, hush.  Captain  Williams, 
I  nnd  Lee  kept  riding  on  ahead  to  find  out  the 
best  wa\'  through  the  trees,  the  places  where  the 
many  spruits  could  most  easily  Ije  crossed,  and 
how  to  a^'oid  the  rocky  ground.  We  had  to  cross 
the  riA'er  Umjinge  just  where  it  joins  the  Buhjane. 
This  was  rather  an  anxious  business,  for  the  banks 
were  high  and  the  sandy  bed  was  hea^•^^  The 
mules  were  taken  out  of  the  "  spider,"  and  attached 
to  the  team  of  the  mule-waggon.  Drawn  by 
eighteen  mules,  this  Avaggon  literall}'  bounded  down 
the  bank,  more  than  once  within  an  ace  of  capsiz- 
iiio',  and  for  a  moment  stuck  fast  in  tlie  sand. 
Our  mules,  however,  jjroved  equal  to  the  emer- 
gency, and,  stimulated  by  the  most  tremendous 
cracking  of  "  vorscld)achts "  and  some  lashings, 
successfully  di-agged  their  load  up  the  opposite 
bank,  where  they  "were  soon  followed  by  the 
"  spider."  At  ten  o'clock  we  outspaimed  and  rested 
till  one  in  the  afternoon,  when  we  inspanned  again 
and  trekked  till  sunset.  AYe  accomplished  alto- 
gether about  ten  miles.  The  axe  had  often  to  be 
freely  resorted  to  to  clear  away  the  bush  ahead. 
We  pitched  our  camp  in  a  lovely  spot  on  the  liigli, 
precipitous  bank  of  the  Buhjane  River,  which  can- 
not be  said  to  How,  but  which  lies  beloAv  us  in  a 


Companions  by  the  Way.  157 

series  of  pools  of  clean  and  clear  water,  (1<  ttted  here 
and  there  anionii'  huu'e  l)oid(lers  ol"  i-ock  and  wide 
-spaces  of  sand.  All  ai'oiind  us  is  the  thick  hush 
veldt.  \\\'  have  the  jjlace  all  to  ourselves.  In 
the  distance  Mount  Towhi,  behind  Aviiich  the  sun 
sets  with  a  scarlet  ^lilow.  Tiie  moon,  almost  at  the 
lull,  illuminates  the  surroundin^i;'  sccncrN'  with 
astonishing  brilliancy.  We  were  a  cheerl'id  party 
that  night  at  dinner,  Captain  Williams  and  1, 
Myberg  the  conductoi',  and  Hans  Lee  the  hunter. 
Myberg  is  a  splendid  specimen  of  a  yomig  colonial. 
Standino"  six  foot  five  in  his  stockino-s,  strong;  as  a 
horse  and  wirv  as  an  antelope,  he  jDossesses  a  most 
good-natured  disposition,  is  always  ready  for 
anything,  and  makes  the  best  of  everything.  Hans 
Lee  is  a  short  l:)ut  ^veil-made  man,  with  I'egular 
features,  a  black  beard  and  moustache,  a  soft 
dronino;  kind  of  voice  which  lends  to  his  conversa- 
tion  and  his  narrati\'es  a  peculiar  charm.  His 
English  is  rather  broken.  AVe  retired  to  rest 
early,  somewhat  fatigued  with  the  labours  of  the 
day ;  the  sounds  of  the  night  were  the  crunch- 
ing of  the  mealies  by  the  mules  attached  to  their 
canvas  manger,  their  whines  -when  biting  each 
other,  the  occasional  lio^vd  of  a  jackal  or  a  hysena, 
and  at  1  a.m.  the  "  Baboon "  woke  up  Captain 
Williams  to  make  him  hearken  to  the  roaring  of  a 
lion  some  three  or  four  miles  away  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river.  The  sound,  it  appears,  was  quite 
faint,  and  I  was  somewhat  incredulous  when  told 
about  it  next  morning.  By  ten  o'clock  T  was 
perfectly  convinced  of  my  error. 


158  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTEU    XL 


IJONS. 

Lion  Camp — The  Tales  of  a  Huntsman — The  snake-tiee — In 
the  tracv  of  the  koodoos — We  come  across  a  posse  of 
Lions — Antelopes  and  qaaggas — Return  to  camp  for  the 
dogs — Result  of  one  day's  sport — We  spend  another  day 
hnntin" — Provision^  running  short. 


On  the  evening  of  our  arrival  at  "  Lion  Camp," 
while  Captain  AVilliams  and  I  were  preparing 
the  dinner,  Lee  had  gone  ont  on  foot  with  his 
rifle,  and  had  shot  at  and  wounded  a  sable  antelope 
only  a  slioi"t  distance  from  tlie  camp.  This  buck 
Ave  started  to  hunt  up  on  tlie  morning  of  July 
25th.  Lee  and  tlie  "  Balloon "  soon  found  its 
spoor,  but  were  uiial)le  to  follow  it  far,  and  we 
shortly  afterwards  gave  up  the  pursuit.  We 
then  separated,  Lee  and  I  hiuiting  towards  the 
cast.  Captain  Williams  and  the  "  Balioon  "  going- 
south.  On  this  day  we  were  poorly  provided 
with  horses  for  hunting  purposes.  I  had  left  my 
shooting  ponv  "  Charlie,"  a  perfectly-trained  and 
steady  animal,  from  off  whose  back  I  can  fire,  at 
the  camp,  as  I  had  ridden  him  the  previous  day, 
and  I  was  mounted  on  a  strong,  somewhat  under- 
bred bay  horse,  a  good  roadster,  but  unsuited  to 
shootino-  or  to  the  chase.     Lee  was  ridino;  a  weedv 


The  Tales  of  a  Huntsman.  159 


little  chestnut  pony,  which  had  been  purchased  at 
Kimbeiiey  for  the  sum  of  8/.  Captain  Williams 
was  mounted  on  a  bay  jDony  named  the  ''Tortoise," 
which  name  sufficiently  desc]"i1)es  liim.  and  the 
''Baboon'"  l^estrode  a,  laroe  raw-boned,  coek- 
throppled  nag-  called  "  Xelson."  But  it  had  never 
occurred  to  Captain  Williams,  nor  to  me,  that  anv- 
thing-  very  wonderful  in  the  wa\'  of  steeds  was 
necessary.  We  looked  upon  them  merely  as  con- 
veyances for  aettin;^'  over  the  *iTound  (pucker  than 
we  could  on  foot.  Since  this  morning  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  shooting  in  South 
Africa,  unless  it  is  to  be  accompanied  by  great 
risk,  I'equires  that  the  sportsman  should  be 
mounted  on  a  perfectly-trained,  well-bred,  fast 
horse,  just  as  tiger-shooting  in  India  requires  a 
perfectly  steady  and  courageous  elephant.  For 
some  time,  near!)'  two  hours,  Lee  and  I  wandered 
on,  peering  al)out  through  the  bushes,  examining 
spoor,  of  which  we  saw  nnicli,  and  sometimes  con- 
versing in  a  low  tone.  At  times  Lee  told  me  of 
one  or  two  curious  things.  He  told  me  that  in 
the  Zoutspansberg  I'ound  Avliere  he  himself  resided, 
there  grew  a  tree  called  the  snake  tree,  the  leaves 
of  which,  when  boiled,  make  a  decoction  which 
is  an  infallible  specific  against  snake  bite.  He 
had  used  it  himself,  he  said,  on  animals  with  com- 
plete success,  and  he  ^vas  perfectly  confident  that 
with  this  remedy  he  could  cure  any  human  being 
who  had  been  bitten  by  a  poisonous  snake.  He 
further  told  me  that  persons  whom  he  could  trust 
had  informed  him  that  the  drink  made  from  these 


i6o  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

leaves  eured  animals  from  the  mortal  illness  caused 
])y  the  bite  of  the  Tsetze  fly.  This  is  i\  matter  worth 
exanuning  into,  as  i.ee  is  a  person  of  perfect  credi- 
l)iHtv.  He  als(j  informed  me  that  there  was  a 
<mall  tree  in  ^[atabeleland,  where  lie  has  Jixcd  for 
many  years,  which  bears  a  iVuit  Hlvc  To  and  sweet 
as  the  pine-apple,  the  roots  of  which  ai-e  a  perfect 
antidote  to  the  effects  of  strychnine  poisoning, 
and  are  always  used  ])y  tlie  natixes  to  cure  any 
of  their  dogs  which  have  picked  up  poisoned  food 
which  lias  been  laid  about  t<j  kill  jackals  and 
hyenas.  Also  he  recounted  to  me  other  stories 
of  his  experiences  in  the  chase.  At  last  we  per- 
ceived, some  distance  off,  two  koodoo  cows.  We 
approached  them  within  tolerable  range,  and  both 
dismounted  to  shoot.  The  cows  Avere  making  oft'. 
I  dismounted  so  awkwardly  that  I  fell  heavily  on 
my  back,  cutting  my  hand  and  losing  my  hat. 
Getting  on  and  off  a  horse  with  a  heavy  rifle  in 
your  hand  rer|uires  practice  like  anything  else. 
Lee  got  a  shot  and  struck  one  of  the  koodoos,  and 
galloped  after  it.  I  picked  myself  up  as  well  as 
i  could  and  followed.  On  arriving  at  the  place 
where  the  koodoos  had  been  the  spoor  was  ex- 
amined, and  much  blood  was  found  on  the  grass. 
We  followed  the  track  of  the  wounded  animal  for 
some  space,  but  had  to  give  it  up.  It  was  now 
past  ten  o'clock.  The  sun  was  high  and  hot ; 
we  had  seen  little,  and  I  began  to  think  that  I 
Avas  going  to  have  another  day  barren  of  sport. 
Lee  climbed  up  a  kopje,  beneatli  which  we  were 
riding,    to  examine  .the    surrounding    bush,    and 


The  Glade  alive  with  Lions.  i6i 

after  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  absence  re- 
joined me,  and  said  he  couhl  see  nothing,  but 
thouo-ht  we  had  better  turn  to  our  left  towards 
the  north,  as  in  the  direction  which  we  were 
taking  there  was  nothing  but  thick  bush,  whereas 
towards  the  north  the  veklt  was  much  more  open. 
In  a  few  minutes  I  almost  wished  that  we  had 
stuck  to  our  orio'inal  direction. 

We  were  riding  along  through  a  small  open 
glade  covered  with  high  grass,  Lee  a  few  yards 
ahead  of  me,  when  I  suddenly  saw  him  turn 
round,  cry  out  something  to  me,  and  point  with 
his  linger  ahead.  I  looked,  and  saw  lolloping 
along  through  and  over  the  grass,  about  forty 
yards  off,  a  yellow  animal  about  as  big  as  a 
small  bullock.  It  flashed  across  me  that  it  was 
a  lion,  the  last  thing  in  the  world  that  I  was 
thinkino'  of.  I  was  o-oino-  to  dismount  and  take 
aim,  but  Lee  called  out  in  succession  five  or  six 
times,  "  Look,  look !  "  at  the  same  time  pointing 
with  his  finger  in  difterent  directions  in  front. 
I  saw  to  my  astonishment,  and  rather  to  my 
dismay,  that  the  glade  appeared  to  be  alive  with 
lions.  There  they  were  trooping  and  trotting 
along  ahead  of  us  like  a  lot  of  enormous  dogs, 
great  yellow  objects,  ofiering  such  a  sight  as  I 
had  never  dreamed  of.  Lee  turned  to  me  and 
said,  "  What  will  you  do  ?  "  I  said,  "  I  suppose 
we  must  go  after  them,"  thinking  all  the  time 
that  I  was  making  a  very  foolish  answer.  This  I 
am  the  more  convinced  of  now,  for  Lee  told  me 
afterwards  that  many  old  hunters  in  South  Africa 

M 


i62  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


will  turn  away  from  such  a  troop  of  lions  as  we 
had  before  us.     AVe  moved  on  after  them  a  short 
distance  to  where  the  bush  Avas  more  open,  the 
lions  trotting  along  ahead  of  us  in  the  most  com- 
posed and  leisurely  fashion,  \evy   different    from 
the  galloping  off  of  a  surprised  and  startled  ante- 
lope.    Lee   now    dismounted  and   tired  at  a  lion 
about    iift\-     yards    off.       I    saw   the    brute    fall 
forward  on  his  head,  twist  round  and  round,  and 
stagger  into  a  patcli  of  high  grass  slightly  to  the 
left  of  where  I  was  riding.     I  did  not  venture  to 
dismount  with  such  a  lot  of  these  l^rutes  all  around 
ahead  of  me,  not  feeling  at  all  sure  that  I  should 
be    able  to  remount   quickly   enough  and  gallop 
away  after  shooting.     Aly  horse,  untrained  to  the 
ofun,  would  not  alloAv  me  to  tire  from  his  back, 
and  would  probably  have  thrown  nie   oft'  had  I 
done  so.     I   stuck  close   to    Lee,    determined  to 
leave  the  shooting  to  him  unless  things  became 
critical,   as   his    aim  was  true.     I  counted   seven 
lions ;   Lee   says  there   were    more.     I    saw,   and 
cried    out   to    Lee,  jDointing  him  to    a   great  big 
fellow  with  a  heavy  black   mane    trotting    along 
slightly  ahead  of  the  rest.     He  was  just  crossing 
a  small  spruit  about  100  yards   ahead,  and  as  he 
climbed  the  opposite  bank  oft'ered  his  hind-quarters 
as  a  fair  target.     Lee  tired  at  him,  at  which  he 
quickened  his  pace  and  disappeared  in  i'ront.     AVc 
approached  the  spruit,  and,  almost  literally  under 
my  nose,  I  saw  three  lions  tumble  up  out  of  it,  climb 
the  opposite  side,  and   disaj^pear.     Xow  I  own  I 
longed  for   my   shooting  pony  Charlie,    for    they 


An  ExcitIxXg  Adventure.  163 

offered  me  splendid  shots,  (jiiite  close,  such  as  I 
could  hardly  have  missed.  I  raised  my  rifle  to 
take  aim  at  the  last,  l^ut,  ])erhaps  fortunately  for 
me,  he  disappeared,  l:)efore  I  could  fire,  in  the  high 
grass  on  the  other  side.  I  saw  Lee  fire  from  his 
horse  at  one  as  it  was  climbing  the  bank,  which 
he  wounded  badly,  and  which  retreated  into  a 
patch  of  thick  grass  the  other  side  of  the  spruit, 
utterinir  sounds  somethino-bctween  a  orowba  oTunt, 
and  a  sob.  The  lions  had  now  got  some  100  yards 
or  so  ahead  of  us,  and  had  disappeared  into  thick 
high  grass.  We  kncAv  that  there  was  a  Avounded 
one  behind  us  on  our  left,  and  another  w^ounded 
one  in  front  of  us  also  on  our  left.     Lee  now  o-ot 

o 

rather  excited.  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  he  had 
been  1)y  himself,  mounted  on  a  good  horse,  he 
Avould,  to  use  his  own  expression,  have  ''  played 
the  devil  with  them."  He  told  me  that  lions 
would  not  stand  being  chased  ver\'  far,  but  would 
lie  down,  conceal  themselves,  and  wait  for  us, 
and  that  if  we  approached  the  wounded  lions 
they  would  in  all  probability  charge,  when  Ave 
should  have  to  gallop  aAvay  at  the  top  of  our 
speed.  The  idea  of  galloping  at  full  speed  on  a 
second-rate  horse  through  thick  bush  trees  and 
grass,  chased  by  a  lion,  Avas  singularly  unpleasant 
to  me.  After  a  fe^v'  minutes'  consideration,  and 
after  making  me  promise  to  remain  Avhere  I  Avas 
and  gallop  aAvay  as  fast  as  I  could  as  soon  as  he 
had  fired,  Lee  determined  to  go  and  look  at  the 
second  wounded  lion,  Avho  Avas  lying  aAvay  from 
us  some  sixty  or  seA^enty  yards.     I  saAV  him  go 

M  2 


i64  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

up  to  within  about  ten  yards  of  the  grass  where 
the  wounded  lion  Lay.  Fortunately  she  was 
badly  Avounded  by  the  first  shot,  or  she  would 
probably  have  come  at  liim.  He  caught  a  glimpse 
of  her  and  fired.  There  was  a  tremendous  com- 
motion in  the  grass  for  a  second  or  two.  Lee's 
horse  o-ave  such  a  bound  that  I  thouo-ht  he  would 
have  been  thrown,  turned  round,  and  galloped 
away.  I  followed  as  fast  as  I  could.  We  galloped 
about  200  yards  to  the  right  of  the  direction  the 
other  lions  had  taken,  and  then  pulled  up  and 
held  another  hurried  and  anxious  consultation. 
Lee  wished  to  go  back  straight  to  camp,  about 
three  miles  off,  and  get  our  three  dogs,  two 
pointers  and  a  greyhound,  which  he  said  would 
soon  show  us  where  the  lions  might  be  lying,  as 
in  the  thick  o-rass  we  could  see  nothin2:.  I  was 
anxious  to  make  certain  of  the  lion  last  fired  at, 
feeling  sure  that  it  was  mortally  wounded,  and 
could  do  no  harm.  And  now  occurred  a  stranoe 
thing.  Six  koodoo  cows  came  suddenly  galloping 
along  fifty  or  sixty  yards  away  from  us  one  after 
another.  I  called  out  to  Lee  not  to  shoot,  as 
they  were  only  cows,  without  horns,  and  I  did 
not  want  matters  still  further  complicated.  How- 
ever, he  was  not  to  be  denied,  jumped  off,  and 
shot  at  the  last  koodoo,  bringing  her  hea^dly  to 
the  ground.  She  got  up  again  and  made  off.  In 
two  minutes  the  koodoos,  which  had  been  gallop- 
ing in  the  direction  where  the  lions  had  last  been 
seen,  came  galloping  back  past  us  upon  their 
tracks,  showing  pretty  clearly  that  they  had  gone 


Back  to  Camp  for  the  Dogs.  165 

right  upon  and  had  winded  the  lions,  who  were 
lying  about  near  their  wounded  fellows.  Lee  now 
insisted  that  Ave    should  o-o  straio-ht  back  to  the 

o  o 

camp  and  get  the  dogs,  as  the  situation,  he  de- 
clared, was  one  of  danger.  I  confess  that  when  I 
was  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  spot  I  felt  rather 
relieved,  for  I  had  thouo'ht  all  alons;  that  eisrht 
or  nine  lions  was  frop  de  luxe.  As  we  were 
going  along  Lee  exclaimed,  "  By  Jove,  there's  a 
lot  of  buck  ! "'  x\.way  he  galloped,  and  I  after 
him.  We  came  pretty  close  up  to  a  lot  of  about 
a  dozen  roan  antelope  and  three  quaggas.  I 
dismounted  and  tired  at  one,  with  what  effect  I 
do  not  know,  for  Lee  galloped  on,  calling  to  me 
to  get  on  my  horse  again.  I  got  up  and  galloped 
after  him ;  he  being  a  considerable  distance  ahead, 
I  had  some  difficulty  in  keeping  him  in  \iew.  I 
heard  him  fire  three  or  four  shots,  and,  when  I 
got  up  to  him,  found  that  he  had  one  antelope 
a^^parently  dying  on  the  ground,  and  two  more 
staggering  away  badly  wounded.  Just  now  three 
antelope  cantered  by  to  my  left,  and  I  got  a 
capital  shot  in  the  open,  about  seventy  yards.  I 
hit  one  very  hard  with  my  first  barrel,  but  did 
not  stop  it,  caught  my  horse  with  a  little  difficulty, 
and  galloped  on  after  Lee,  Avho  was  again  a  good 
way  ahead  of  me.  The  place  seemed  alive  with 
game,  I  came  up  to  Lee,  who  had  again  dropped 
another  antelope.  I  saw  a  (juagga,  about  eighty 
or  ninety  yards  off,  fired  at  him  and  dropped  him 
just  a  little  beyond  Lee's  wounded  antelope. 
We  walked  on  towards   the   antelope  and  quagga, 


i66  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Lee  giving  them  each  a -finishing  bullet.  AVe  then 
remounted  and  galloped  on,  Lee  shot  at  another 
antelope  and  wounded  it  severely,  and  I  fired  at 
and  broke  the  hind  leg  of  a  quagga.  The  game 
all  made  oiF  as  best  they  could,  and  I  could  do  no 
more,  being  perfectly  exhausted.  I  had  dis- 
mounted and  fired  seven  times,  and  galloped  very 
hard  for  nearly  two  miles.  We  "  off-saddled  " 
and  had  a  little  In'eakfast,  of  which  whisky-and- 
water  was  the  princi^Dal  element.  The  sun  was 
very  hot.  Lee  was  certain  that  we  should  pick 
up  five  or  six  antelope  and  two  quaggas,  but  these 
hopes  were  ultimately  disappointed.  After  a 
hurried  repast  we  got  on  our  horses  and  rode  to 
the  camp,  within  a  mile  of  which  we  fortunately 
found  ourselves,  arri\'ing  there  about  midday. 

Captain  Williams  and  the  "  Baboon  "  had  not 
returned  as  we  had  hoped ;  so,  after  Avaiting  for 
them  in  vain  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  we  started 
back  again  to  hunt  uj)  the  wounded  lions,  taking 
with  us  Alyberg,  armed  Avitli  a  smooth-bore  and 
ball  cartridge,  and  the  three  dogs.  My  servant 
Walden  being  very  anxious  to  accompany  ns,  after 
some  hesitation  I  permitted  him  to  come  on  con- 
dition that  when  we  approached  the  ^ilace  where 
the  lions  were  he  should  ascend  a  tree.  He  was 
armed  with  a  Martini-Henry  rifle,  and  led  the 
dogs.  I  had  no  horse  for  him  to  i-ide.  I  thought 
we  were  going  to  ha^'e  a  nastv  Inisiness,  for  Lee 
said  that  the  other  lions  would  probably  stay  near 
their  wounded  fellows  or  would  come  ])ack  to  look 
for  them.     AVe  tra^'ersed  the  jjlace  ^^-here  we  had 


The  Wounded  Lioness.  167 

chased  the  antelopes  and  found  that  the  antelope 
to  which  Lee  had  o-iven  the  finishino-  bullet  had 
got  up  and  made  off;  the  quagga  was  there  dead 
enough,  lying  on  his  stomach  with  his  fore  leg 
doubled  under  him,  with  his  neck  arched  and 
striped  skin,  looking  a  lovely  object.  AVe  then 
made  a  detour  so  as  to  approach  the  lions  from  the 
point  from  which  we  originally  came  upon  them. 
Lee's  skill  in  findino-  his  way  in  this  veldt,  where 
one  spot  looks  exactly  like  another,  was  simply 
marvellous.  Getting  near  the  place,  I  put  Walden 
into  a  tree  with  instructions  not  to  descend  until 
he  heard  me  whistle,  and  proceeded,  with  the  dogs 
ranging  about.  The  place  where  the  first  lion 
which  was  wounded  had  gone  we  gave  a  wide 
berth  to,  and  ^yent  straight  to  the  place  where  the 
second  wounded  lion  lay.  When  we  were  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  spot  we  heard  very  clearly  that 
peculiar  growling,  grunting,  sobbing  sound  to 
which  I  have  before  alluded.  Lee  said,  "  That 
means  you  are  to  come  no  nearer  "  ;  upon  Avhicli  we 
retreated  a  little  and  consulted.  The  grass  was  so 
thick  that  we  could  not  see  the  lion.  I  suggested 
that  we  should  climlj  into  trees  and  fire  shots  into 
the  patch  to  see  wliat  state  she  was  in,  and  possibly 
to  move  her  out  of  it.  This  plan  was  adopted,  and 
having  tethered  the  horses  aA^'ay  some  distance,  we 
approached  and  ascended  two  trees  which  over- 
looked the  particular  patch  of  grass.  Here 
Myberg's  strength  and  stature  served  to  great  ad- 
vantage, for  I  stood  upon  his  shoulders  and 
ascended  some  twenty  feet  hiuh  into  the  tree.     Lee 


i68  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

and  Myberg  ascended  another  close  by,  from  wliich, 
fortunately,  they  were  able  to  discern  the  where- 
abouts of  the  lion.  They  fired  three  shots,  and  the 
cessation  of  the  growlino-,  which  till  then  had  been 
continuous  and  distinct,  showed  that  the  bullets 
had  done  their  work.  We  then  descended  and 
walked  into  the  grass,  and  found  the  lion,  or  rather, 
the  lioness,  dead.  She  had  an  awful  wound  in  her 
left  shoulder,  which  was  completely  shattered  by 
the  Martini-Henry  bullet  used  by  Lee,  and  we 
noA7  saw  that  she  never  could  have  charged  us.  A 
bullet  through  the  neck  from  the  tree  had  finished 
her  off.  The  behaviour  of  my  pointer  dog  had 
been  very  extraordinary.  He  had  ranged  about 
with  much  freedom  and  courage,  but  whenever  he 
approached  the  spot  where  the  lioness  lay,  his  tail 
dropped  between  his  legs  and  he  slunk  away. 
The  other  two  dogs  were  perfectly  useless.  AVliat 
are  wanted  for  a  lion  are  good  curs  which  get  near 
the  spot  and  bark  and  annoy  the  lion  and  make 
him  show  himself.  We  had  now  to  look  for  the 
other  wounded  lioness,  and  this  we  proceeded  to  do 
with  great  caution.  Unfortunately,  we  failed  to 
find  her  anywhere.  She  must  have  recovered  and 
made  off  during  the  two  or  three  hours  of  our 
absence.  Then  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but 
to  skin  the  dead  lioness.  She  'was  an  old  lady  of 
great  size,  with  her  front  tectli  much  worn  away. 
Her  skin  was  in  perfect  order.  Having  got  the 
skin  on  to  the  back  of  one  of  our  horses,  we  went 
to  look  for  some  of  our  wounded  antelope.  After 
much  searching  we  came  across  a  wounded   one 


The  Conduct  of  the  Dogs.  169 

wlio  made  off,  and  gave  us  a  short,  but  exciting 
chase.  A  bullet  from  Lee's  rifle  and  one  from  my 
smooth  bore  brought  him  down  ;  even  then  he  was 
not  dead,  and  lay  upon  the  ground  with  head  erect, 
tossino;  his  horns  at  the  doo's  ayIio  were  barkino;  at 
him.  I  gave  him  two  bullets  behind  the  shoulder, 
Myberg  gave  him  one  through  the  neck,  upon 
which  he  rose  to  his  feet,  swayed  about  heavily  for 
a  few  seconds,  staggered  forward  a  few  paces,  and 
then  fell  down  dead.  The  tenacity  of  life  of  these 
creatures  is  inconceivable.  It  was  now  dusk,  and 
Ave  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  our  way  back  to 
cam|),  distant  about  two  miles.  Here  we  found 
Captain  Williams,  who  had  hunted  and  badly 
wounded  three  quaggas,  but  had  been  unable  to 
secure  any  of  them,  owing  to  the  poor  quality  of 
his  steed.  So  ended  Avhat  w^as  to  me  a  very 
memorable  day.  I  had  thought  Avlien  I  came  to 
Africa  that  I  Avould  try  and  shoot  a  few  nice  buck, 
but  I  had  never  bargained  to  come  across  such  a 
posse  of  lions.  On  revieAving  the  incidents  of 
the  day,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  all  had 
ended  A-ery  fortunate!}',  and  that  I  had  had  an  ex- 
citing experience  such  as  is  knoAvn  to  few,  and  had 
escaped  unscathed.  The  folloAving  morning.  Sun- 
da  a^,  July  26th,  I  started  off  at  daybreak  Avith  Lee 
and  "  the  boys "  and  six  mules  to  find  and  bring 
into  camjD  our  wounded  game  of  the  day  before. 
The  quagga  and  the  roan  antelope,  which  latter 
had  been  killed  on  the  preA^ous  CA^ening,  Avere 
soon  found  close  by  each  other.  The  former  was 
quickly  skinned.     Tavo  trees,  one  of  fair  size  and 


I70  Men,  Mixes,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

tlie  other  smaller,  with  forked  branches,  were  then 
selected,  felled,  and  lashed  together.  Upon  this 
improvised  sledge  Ave  bound  our  dead  roan  ante- 
lope, and  to  it  Ave  attached  the  six  mules.  These 
drao-o-ed  alono-  their  burden,  not  without  difficulty, 
througli  the  bushy  and  Ijroken  ground,  and  reached 
camp  about  mid-day.  I  was  quite  done  up,  having 
walked  some  miles,  the  sun  beino;  verv  strono-. 
Lee,  who  had  been  hunting  about  all  the  morning 
for  our  other  Avounded  antelopes  and  quagga,  re- 
turned in  the  afternoon  with  the  head  and  horns 
of  one  roan  antelope,  the  eutire  body  and  bones  of 
AAdiich  had  been   devoured  in  the  nio-ht    b^^   our 

o 

friends  the  lions.  I  haA'e  reason  to  think  that 
another  shooting  party  in  our  immediate  vicinity 
picked  up  tAvo  or  three  head  of  Avliat  Ave  had 
AVOunded,  as  Ave  heard  several  shots  in  the  course 
of  the  morning  close  to  our  camp. 

It  had  been  arranged  Avith  ^lajor  Giles  that  I 
Avas  to  start  to  rejoin  him  on  the  27th,  but  the 
attractions  of  this  spot  Avere  so  great  and  the  game 
apparently  so  numerous  that  Captain  Williams 
and  I  determined  to  stay  another  day.  Off  Ave 
started  at  daybreak  on  Monday,  the  27th — 
Captain  Williams,  I,  Lee,  and  '"  the  Baboon."  I 
decided  that  Ave  should  keep  all  together,  as  lions 
Avere  evidently  about,  Captain  Williams  and  "  the 
Baboon "  having  seen  much  spoor  on  Saturday, 
and  I  did  not  choose  to  run  the  risk  of  Captain 
Williams  ha\dng  such  an  experience  as  I  had  had 
Avith  no  one  to  help  him  but  *•'  the  Baboon,"  Avho 
not   only  speaks  no   English,  but  Avould  probably 


A  Herd  of  Quaggas.  171 


run  awav  if  lions  appeared.     After  riding-  along 
for  more  than  a  couple  of  hours  in  Indian  file,  Lee 
discovered  a  herd  of  about  a  dozen  quaggas.     Cap- 
tain AVilliams  dismounted  and  iired  at  one  that 
was  facing  him,  and  i\^Yi\y  dashed  tlie  herd  with  us 
in  liot  pursuit.     AVe  soon  came  up  Avith  them,  and 
in  a  spot  where  the  veldt  Avas  fairly  open  I  got  a 
capital  shot  from  nrv  horse's  back  at  a  quagga  that 
was  galloping  along  about  100  yards  away.     To 
my  great  delight  he  dropped  to  the  shot.     I  found 
afterwards  that  the  bullet  had  hit  him    high  on 
the  back,  which  it  broke,     AYe  galloped  on,  keep- 
ing the  game  in  view,  and   had  four   more  shots 
with  uncertain  effect.     This  herd  of  quaggas  bound- 
ing through  the  bush  presented  a  lovely  appearance. 
Soon  we  halted,  as  it  was  no  use  killing  any  moi"e 
of  them.     It  would  not  have   been  difficult  to  kill 
the  whole  lot.     On  going  back  we  found  the  one 
Captain    AVilliams   had    originally  fired  at   lying- 
dead,  shot  through  the  chest.     The  skinning  of  the 
two  dead  quaggas  occupied  the  best  part   of  two 
hours,  when  we  resumed  the  chase,  determined  to 
kill  no  more    (juaggas.      AVe  had   not   gone    two 
hundred  yards   when  we  pei'cei\'ed  a  solitary  one 
grazing.     As  we  watched  it  it  lay  down.     On  our 
approach  with  harmless  intentions,  it  lx)unded  off, 
when  we  discovered  it  was  badly  wounded.     AVe 
galloped  after  it,  thinking  it  better  to  finish  it  off. 
The    chase    lasted   ten   minutes,  diu'ing   which   it 
received  three  bullets  without  dropping.     A  ball 
from  mv  Eraser  express  finally  settled  him.     Pro- 
ceeding to  skin  him  and  to  water  the  horses  in  a 


172  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

pool  hard  by,  we  were  startled  by  the  sound  of  a 
loud  "  cooey  "  from  "  the  Baboon,"  who  had  been 
left  about  half  a  mile  behind  us.  Lee  exclaimed, 
"  He  has  seen  a  lion."  AVe  remounted  quickly 
and  galloped  off  to  "  the  Baboon,"  who  told  us  he 
had  met  "  a  great  lion  "  coming  from  our  direction, 
who  had  stopped  and  looked  at  him,  and  after  a 
few  seconds  had  moved  away.  "  The  Baboon's  " 
manners  and  gestures  in  describing  the  appearance 
of  the  lion  were  most  quaint  and  grotesque.  He 
said  he  was  immense  in  size,  with  an  enormous 
black  mane,  and  added  that  when  he  saw  him  he 
was  so  frio-htened  that  his  hat  was  lifted  off  his  head 
by  his  hair  standing  on  end.  We  galloped  in  the 
direction  which  "  the  Baboon  "  said  that  the  lion 
had  taken,  but,  though  we  found  and  followed  his 
spoor  some  distance,  we  never  saw  him,  groatlv  to 
the  distress  of  Captain  Williams.  On  our  way 
back  to  camp  Captain  Williams  and  I  each  secured 
close  to  the  river  two  cow  waterbucks.  We  were 
rather  unfortunate  on  this  occasion,  as  immediately 
after  we  had  hred  a  fine  bull  waterbuck  with  long 
horns  and  an  equally  good  koodoo  bull  made  their 
appearance  from  the  spruit  in  which  the  cows  had 
been  feeding,  and  Avent  off  rmharmed.  On  the 
whole,  the  day  had  been  a  pleasant  one,  and  we  had 
had  much  sport. 

So  strongly  were  we  possessed  by  the  charms 
of  "  Lion  Camp  "  and  its  neighbourhood,  that  we 
"were  unable  that  evening  to  make  up  our  minds 
to  leave  it,  and  although  almost  out  of  j)rovisions, 
tea,  coffee,  biscuits,  flour,  jam,  all  being  consumed, 


The  Skin  of  the  Waterbuck.  173 

we  determined  to  stay  on  one  more  day.  A  resolu- 
tion was  arrived  at  not  to  shoot  at  koodoo  cows  or 
waterbuck  cows,  or  quaggas,  but  to  try  only  for 
sable  nntelope  and  giratt'e,  of  which  latter  animal 
Ave  had  seen  fresh  spoor.  Accordingly,  on  the 
morning  of  the  28th,  as  we  were  himting  through 
the  bush,  several  koodoo  cows  and  a  fine  herd  of 
Avaterbuck  coav  were  seen,  Avho,  as  if  aAvare  of  our 
policy,  gave  themseh^es  little  trouble  to  get  out  of 
our  way,  and  tried  our  A'irtuous  resolutions  highly. 
Nothing  else  did  we  come  across,  and  Ave  returned 
to  camp  at  two  o'clock,  tired  and  disa^^pointed. 

The  Avaterbuck  is  a  handsome  animal,  nearly  as 
big  as  the  roan  antelope,  Avith  a  broad  A\*hite  stripe 
running  round  its  r|uarters  and  underneath  its  tail. 
The  coAv-waterbuck  has  no  horns.  Those  of  the 
l)ull  are  splendid,  nearly  equal  in  l^eauty  to  those 
of  the  sable  antelope.  The  skin  of  the  Avaterbuck 
is  greatly  prized  in  this  country,  being  said  to 
exceed  in  excellence  for  breeches,  boots,  gaiters, 
"  rheims,"  and  "  A'orschlaghts,"  all  other  hides.  In 
the  afternoon  C^aptain  Williams  Avent  out  hunting 
Avith  Lee.  Sharp  rheumatic  pains,  brought  on  by 
bathing  on  Sunday  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  Avhich 
made  riding  almost  torture,  kept  me  to  camp. 
Our  tAvo  serA'ants  had  ridden  in  the  mornino"  to 
the  road  to  try  and  obtain  from  other  passing 
AA'aggons  some  small  supply  of  proA'isions.  Fortu- 
nately they  fell  in  Avith  Messrs.  Rylands  and  Fry, 
Avho  Avere  hunting  near  our  camp,  Avho  generously 
sent  us  some  Hour,  some  coftee,  and  some  sugar. 
Captain  Williams  and  Lee  returned  late,  liaAing 


174  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa 


seen  nothing.  So  Ave  determined  to  start  on  the 
morrow  to  rejoin  Major  Giles,  a  journey  of  three 
or  four  days,  expecting  to  find  him  on  the  Lundi 
River. 


I 


4 


The  Wealth  oe  Mashoxalaxd. 


1/5 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DIFFICULTIES    OF    TRAVEL    ON    THE    VELDT. 

The  wealth  of  MashonalanJ — We  make  a  speedy  trek  and 
overtake  our  Avaggons — Further  losses  by  horse  sickness — 
Stuck  fast  in  Wanetse  River — The  Sugar  Loaf  and  other 
miniature  mountains — A  pestilential  spot  on  the  Lundi 
Ri^■el•  banks — A  word  of  warning — Viandt,  the  Boer 
ostrich  hunter — -We  rerch  Fern  Spruit — -Death  of  my 
shooting  pony  "Charlie" — A  veldt  fire— A  day  of  dis- 
comfort and  disaster — Providence  Gorge — Description  of 
Fort  Victoria — Great  loss  of  horses — Advice  to  intending 
emigrants. 

The  wealth  of  Maslioiialand  may  l^e  great  even 
beyond  all  that  wild  rnmour  has  asserted,  but  if  it 
is  to  be  made  a^'ailable  for  mankind,  another  route 
thereto  will  have  to  be  established  than  that  which 
I  travelled  o^'er.  Not  only  does  the  length  of  the 
overland  road  from  the  south,  some  thousand 
miles  or  more,  present  dilficulty  to  the  traveller 
or  the  merchant,  but  the  character  of  the  countrv 
traversed,  its  geological  formation  in  parts,  its 
climatic  and  hvo'ienic  conditions  elsewhere,  oiFer 
insuperable  obstacles  to  any  successful  commercial 
enterprise  into  this  region,  conducted  from  the 
base  of  Cape  Colony  or  of  the  Transvaal.  These 
propositions  the  mere  narrative  of  my  journey 
will,  I  think,  adequately  support.  Our  camp  on 
the  Bubjane  River  was  struck  at  daybreak  on  the 
29th  of  July.  An  arduous  trek  through  the  bush 
back  to  the  road  lay  before  us ;  many  difficult 
spruits  had   to  be  traversed ;  many  long  circuits 


176  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

made  to  avoid  impassable,  though  dry,  water- 
courses ;  much  tree  and  bush  had  to  be  felled. 
Proo-ress  was  slow,  and  thouo-h  the  distance  from 
our  camp  to  the  road  did  not  exceed  twelve  miles, 
to  compass  it  occupied  an  entire  day.  Escaping, 
by  much  good  fortune,  all  accident,  either  to 
vehicles  or  animals,  we  reached  the  main  road,  in 
the  evening,  where  it  crosses  the  Bubjane,  at  the 
spot  where  I  had  last  parted  from  ]\Iajor  Giles 
and  the  main  body  of  the  waggons.  Short  of 
j)rovisions,  having  consumed  all  our  bread,  biscuit. 
Hour,  tea,  coffee,  and  sugar,  we  had  little  to  eat 
save  the  remnants  of  the  game  we  had  shot. 
Captain  Williams  and  Lee  passed  the  day  hunting 
unsuccessfullv,  chasing  two  bull  koodoo,  but 
securino"  neither.  Xow  we  had  before  us  a  three 
days'  speedy  trek,  some  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles 
a  day,  to  catch  up  the  remainder  of  the  expedi- 
tion, which  by  this  time,  we  reckoned,  had  reached 
the  Lundi  River.  ]\Iealies  for  the  horses  and 
mules,  beans,  milk,  and  wild  honey  for  ourselves, 
were  obtained  by  barter  from  the  natives,  some 
bread  and  coftee  were  begged  from  the  waggons  of 
Messrs.  Rylands,  also  on  a  shooting  expedition, 
and  all  seemed  to  promise  a  fortunate  termination 
to  our  hunting  adventures.  But  I  was  to 
commence  my  experience  of  one  of  iue  pests  of 
African  travel,  the  fatal  horse  sickne^.  On  the 
morning  of  the  30th  one  of  the  mules  drawing  the 
"  spider  "  was  observed  to  he  unable/to  pull,  and 
to  be  breathing  lieaA'ily.  Xothing  cqf.dd  be  done 
for  the  animal,  no  remedies  were  ai^ailable,  nor. 


Death  of  the  Mules.  177 


indeed,  are  any  of  use ;  the  creature  had  to  be 
left  to  die  by  the  roadside.  At  midday  another 
mule  was  in  the  same  condition,  and  was  also 
abandoned,  and  in  the  evening  a  third  succumbed 
and  died  during  the  night.  The  "spider"  team 
being;  now  reduced  to  three  mules,  three  were 
taken  from  the  mule  waggon,  the  team  of  which 
was  reduced  to  ten  mules,  too  small  a  number  for 
its  heavy  load.  These  losses  were  depressing ;  it 
was  impossible  to  say  ^vhere  they  would  stop,  or 
in  what  condition  the  lapse  of  n.  few  hours  only 
might  find  us.  Up  to  this  time  things  had  gone 
very  j)i'osperously,  not  only  with  me  on  my 
journey  from  Johannesburg  to  Tuli,  but  also  with 
Major  Giles  on  his  long  trek  through  Bechuana- 
land.  Xo  losses  of  any  importance  had  been 
sustained,  and  I  ^v^as  inclined  to  think  that  the 
horse  sickness  I  had  heard  so  much  of  was  of 
trifling  moment,  which  could  be  easily  avoided  by 
proper  treatment  and  jjrecaution,  and  which  only 
embarrassed  the  io-norant  or  the  careless  "  trekker." 
On  this  point  I  was  destined  to  be  undeceived. 
The  Umsawe  river  was  crossed  on  this  day,  a 
small  stream  with  a  fair  quantity  of  flowing  water. 
From  here  to  the  AYanetse  river  is  a  distance  of  at 
least  twenty-two  miles.  Rain  had  set  in  the 
previous  evening,  damp  and  cold  wind  prevailed 
throughout  the  day  ;  outsjoanning,  cooking,  and 
eating  in  the  open  air  ceased  to  be  agreeable,  the 
travel  generally  was  dreary  and  uncomfortable. 
Of  course,  persons  who  were  acquainted  with  the 
country  and  its  climate  averred  that  such  rain  vvas 

N 


178  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

most  unusual.  I  have  travelled  many  thousands 
of  miles,  and  visited  many  places  of  the  earth,  and 
I  have  never  vet  arrived  at  any  place  where  I  was 
not  informed  that  the  weather  was  most  unseason- 
able. The  loss  of  tlie  mules  and  another  wet 
evenino-  made  all  disjnrited  and  melancholy.  On 
the  morning  of  the  3 1st,  we  reached  the  Wanetse. 
This  is  a  river  of  importance,  seventy  or  eighty 
yards  wide  at  this  time  of  year,  with  a  strong- 
flowing  current.  The  drift  is  an  awkward  one ; 
large  boulders  obstruct  the  passage,  and  rocky 
slippery  banks  make  it  almost  impossible  for  the 
mules  to  emerge  from  the  river  dragging  any  load 
behind  them.  The  "  spider  "  crossed  in  safety, 
but  with  tremendous  jolts  and  shakings.  The 
mule  waggon  reached  the  middle  and  stuck  hope- 
lessly fast  against  a  large  l^oulder.  The  conductor 
and  "  the  boys  "  all  stripped  and  plunged  into  the 
stream.  The  whips  were  freely  plied,  the  mules 
from  the  "  spider  "  were  added  on  to  the  team,  a 
jack  was  placed  under  the  waggon  with  great 
difficulty  to  raise  the  wheels,  but  all  to  no 
purpose.  The  mules  struggled,  plunged,  and 
tumbled  about  in  the  stream  and  on  the  rocks  in 
an  extraordinary  manner,  so  that  it  was  a  wonder 
either  that  they  were  not  drowned  or  that  they 
did  not  break  some  of  their  limbs.  Finally,  the 
panting,  heaving,  fatigued,  and  dripping  creatures 
were  released  from  their  useless  toil,  and  a  team 
of  twenty-two  strong  oxen  was  borrowed  from  a 
transport  rider  who,  with  his  waggons,  was  en- 
camped on  the  opposite  bank.     These,  inspanned 


I 


Stuck  Fast  in  the  River.  179 

and  attached,  immediately,  apparently  without 
eftbrt,  extricated  the  wao'o'on  from  the  river  and 
lightly  dragged  it  up  the  opposing  steep  incline. 
Myberg,  our  conductor,  was  somewhat  chagrined 
at  this  incident,  for  lie  was  proud  of  having 
avoided  anything  like  a  stickfast  till  this  day, 
and  he  entertained  strong  opinions  as  to  the 
superiority  of  mules  over  oxen,  which  were  now 
somewhat  shaken. 

All  this  country  which  had  been  traversed  for 
some  days  j^ast  is  thick  bush  veldt,  studded  here 
and  there  with  rocky  ''kopjes."  These  kopjes 
are  of  various  shapes  and  height,  some  of  them  of 
great  beauty,  some  fantastic,  some  almost  grotesque 
in  appearance.  They  rise  to  an  altitude  of  from 
100  to  as  much  as  500  feet.  Between  the 
Wanetse  and  the  Lundi,  one  called  the  Sugar 
Loaf,  said  to  attain  a  height  of  800  feet,  is  a  most 
remarkable  object.  Generally  they  are  rounded 
rather  than  pointed  at  the  summit,  and  their 
peculiarity  lies  in  this,  that  they  seem  to  consist  of 
one  immense,  massive  o-ranite  boulder,  without 
discernible  crack,  fissure,  or  mark  of  severance. 
As  a  rule  they  do  not  rise  in  ranges,  nor  are  they 
connected  with  each  other.  These  miniature 
mountains,  often  not  without  grandeur,  add 
greatly  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  wild  woodland  1 
scenery,  and  at  evening,  when  the  smiset  is 
brilliant,  stand  out  with  a  sharpness  and  an 
originality  which  long  arrests  the  eye  and  excites 
the  imao-ination.  After  crossino-  the  Wanetse  we 
overtook  the  wao-oons  of  Mr.  Maunde,  who  had 

N  2  I 


I  So  Men,  MineSj  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

been  trekking  up  from  Kimberley  since  May.  He 
generously  supplied  us  with  some  fresh  excellently- 
baked  white  bread.  Another  set  of  waggons, 
with  whom  I  found  a  friend,  gave  us  some  pots  ol' 
jam,  so  that  our  evening  supper  was,  by  com- 
j^arison,   sumptuous.     Living  in    England,  where 


The  "  Sugar  Loaf  "  Mountain  between  the  Rivers  Wanetseand  Luadi. 


bread  is  so  cheap,  so  common,  and  so  wastefully 
consumed,  it  is  impossi1)le  to  imagine  Avhat  a 
delicious  luxury  it  becomes  on  the  veldt  to  the 
traveller  who  has  been  for  some  days  without  it. 
I  would  not  have  exchanged  my  loaf  of  bread  this 
evening  for  all  the  delicacies  of  the  Paris  Boulc- 


TWO    MEMBERS  lOF    THE    EXPEDITION    CROSSING    THE    LUNDI    RIVER. 

Page  181. 


A  Pestilential  Spot.  i8i 


Yards,  Major  Giles  and  the  waggons  were  rejoined 
on  the  1st  of  August  at  midday.  They  were  out- 
spanned  on  the  nortliern  bank  of  the  Lundi  river, 
and  had  Lain  there  for  four  days.  I  expect  that 
this  delay  occasioned  by  my  shooting  expedition 
was  in  its  results  somewhat  costly  to  me,  and  that 
probably  here  several  of  the  horses  contracted  the 
germs  of  sickness.  The  Lundi  is  a  fine  river, 
twice  as  large  as  the  Wanetse.  The  stream  flows 
strong  and  deep,  and  the  water  poured  into  the 
"  spider,"  rising  up  to  the  inside  seats.  The 
bottom  of  the  drift  is  good  hard  sand,  and  at  this 
time  of  year  the  passage  is  effected  without 
difficulty.  On  either  side  the  road  descends 
precipitously  to  the  watei',  and  it  is  in  this  portion 
of  the  passage  that  danger  lies  and  accidents  often 
occur.  I  found  Major  Giles  very  impatient  to  get 
away  from  this  river.  The  outspan  certainly  had 
a  tainted  and  pestilential  aj^pearance.  Here  for 
months  during  the  rainy  season  had  lain  troops  of 
waggons  and  of  cattle.  The  camping  ground  was 
a  mass  of  dried  and  fresh  dung,  smelling  disagree- 
ably. Ten  yards  from  our  waggons  was  to  l)e 
seen  a  grim  array  of  fourteen  graves.  Twice  as 
many  more,  I  Avas  told,  could  be  found  in  the 
vicinity,  and  testified  to  the  poisonous  fever  for 
which  this  river  has  an  evil  reputation.  What 
had  occurred  was  that  many  parties  of  travellers 
leaving  Mashonaland  too  late  in  the  season  last 
year  had  arrived  at  the  Lundi  to  find  it  a  foaming 
torrent  altogether  impassable,  had  been  detained 
there,  some  for  weeks,  some  even  for  months,  had 


i82  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

been  without  provisions  or  proper  food,  and  getting 
low  in  bodily  and  mental  health,  had  in  many 
cases  succumbed  to  the  malarial  fever,  for  the 
treatment  of  which  there  was  neither  medical 
attendance  nor  medicines.  On  the  morning  of  my 
arrival  one  of  our  horses,  a  grey  gelding,  an 
excellent  animal,  well  trained  to  shooting,  was 
taken  ill.  (Quinine,  gin,  mustard  poultices  were 
promptly  administered,  but  the  horse  died  at  sun- 
set. Here  also  one  of  our  oxen  strayed  and  was 
never  recovered.  We  struck  our  camp  at  4.30  in 
the  afternoon,  and  trekked  eight  miles.  The 
evening  was  saddened  by  the  death  of  Fly,  the 
p-rev  o-eldino-  the  first  out  of  a  lot  of  thirteen 
horses  which  had  come  all  the  way  from  Kimberley. 
Another  of  the  mules  in  the  "  spider "  team  also 
dying,  on  the  following  morning  I  had  to  inspan 
two  of  the  horses.  Myberg  and  Lee  took  the 
j^laces  of  the  t"\vo  njcn  who  had  dri\'en  the 
"  spider "  hitherto,  and  I  hoped  to  proceed  with 
less  misfortune.  On  Sunday,  the  2nd  August,  we 
traversed  for  fourteen  miles  a  magnificent  comitry, 
liilly,  well- watered,  the  bush  veldt  being  more 
open  and  park-like  than  before,  dotted  with  manv 
and  various  fine  trees,  covered  thickly  with  sweet 
grass,  good  for  oxen,  with  a  soil  capalile  of  growing 
every  species  of  agricultural  j)roduce.  This  good 
country  extends  from  the  Lundi  to  within  a  feM' 
miles  of  Fort  Victoria,  a  distance  of  about  sixtv 
miles,  and  seemed  incomparably  the  best  part  of 
Mashonaland  which  I  had  seen.  Xo  finer  tract  of 
land   for  farms  could  be  found  in  Africa  were  it 


A  Word  of  Warning.  183 

not  for  two  fatal  disadvantages — (1)  the  malarial 
fever,  which  during  the  rainy  season  terribly 
oppresses  human  heings  ;  (2)  the  sickness  which  at 
all  periods  of  the  year  kills  from  ninety  to  ninety- 
five  per  cent,  of  liorses  and  mules  brought  into 
the  country.  The  opening  u})  of  the  bush  veldt, 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  some  amount  of 
drainage  may  overcome  the  former  evil  and  cause 
it  to  disappear,  as  has  been  the  case  in  other  parts 
of  South  Africa :  the  same  causes  may  diminish 
the  severity  of  the  horse  sickness.  In  the  Cape 
Colony,  at  Kimberley,  and  in  some  parts  of  the 
Transvaal,  horse  sickness,  which  used  to  be  rife, 
has  almost  died  out,  and  I  sup^jose  that  it  is  not 
impossible  that  science  may  discover  some  remedy 
or  some  successful  mode  of  treatment  which  may 
mitigate  the  rigour  of  this  malady.  Till  these 
changes  have  extensively  occurred  I  am  of  opinion 
that  agricultural  enterprise  in  this  otherwise 
l^eautiful  part  of  Africa,  would  be  attended  with 
damage,  disaster,  and  catastrophe. 

On  the  evening  of  the  2nd  August,  I  met,  at 
our  outspan,  a  Boer,  by  name  A'^iandt,  well  known 
to  Lee.  He  had  hunted  the  ostrich  for  many 
successive  seasons  in  Mashonaland,  and  was 
acquainted  with  every  hole  and  corner  of  the 
country.  He  told  me  he  knew  j^laces  to  which 
no  white  man  of  the  present  day  had  ever  been, 
where  there  was  much  gold  and  extensive  old 
mining  workings.  Lee  guaranteed  his  honesty 
and  veracity,  so  I  endeavoured  to  induce  him  to 
accompany  us.     He  was  transport-i'iding,  and  re- 


1 84  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


turning  to  Tnli  Avith  three  empty  waggons.  A 
bargain  was  at  lens-th  struck.  He  was  to  turn 
l3ack  and  go  with  me  for  three  months  to  the 
sold  districts,  and  his  waofo-ons  and  oxen  were  to 
be  left  at  n.  spot  hard  b}^  our  camp,  where  there 
was  good  veldt,  in  charge  of  his  "  boys  "  till  his 
return.  I  went  to  bed  delighted  with  the  arrange- 
ment, feeling  sure  that  I  would  be  guided  to  un- 
told treasure.  The  morning  In^ought  disappoint- 
ment. The  Boer  ostrich  hunter  had  been  unable 
to  persuade  his  "  boys  "  to  remain  in  charge  of  his 
property,  which  naturally  he  could  not  abandon. 
He  had  therefore  determined  to  proceed  to  Fort 
Tuli.  I  oualit  to  have  bouo'ht  his  wao-o-ons  and 
oxen  right  out,  but  this  idea  did  not  occur  to  me 
till  the  following  day,  when  it  was  too  late  to  give 
eifect  to  it.  Possibly  the  man  was  a  humlnig  ; 
possibly  he  knows  the  position  of  King  Solomon's 
mines.  On  the  3rd  we  only  trekked  ten  miles : 
both  on  this  and  on  the  preceding  morning  an  ox 
had  been  unable  to  rise  and  had  been  abandoned. 
At  the  Lundi,  two  oxen  had,  while  grazing,  fallen 
into  deep  spruits  and  broken  their  necks.  Oiu^ 
troop  of  oxen  had  fallen  belo^v  100.  We  still 
passed  through  an  excellent  land,  in  which 
jMyberg  and  Lee,  both  high  authorities,  declared 
tliey  would  wish  to  possess  farms.  Another  horse, 
of  course  one  of  the  best,  "  Bless  "  by  name,  was 
taken  ill  this  e^-ening.  He  lived  for  two  days,  and 
we  thought  we  should  save  him.  On  Tuesday,  the 
4th  August,  we  reached  Fern  Spruit,  a  lovely  spot, 
^rhere    the   veldt  was   very    good  for    oxen,    and 


The  Vexations  oe  a  Sportsman. 


185 


where  there  flowed  a  fresh,  sweet  stream,  between 
banks  clothed  with  many  kinds  of  fern.  During 
this  trek  Captain  Williams  strolled  on  ahead  of 
the  waggon  and  "  spider."  Suddenly  a  fine  sable 
antelope  emerged  from  the  bush  on  to  the  road,  and 


Passages  in  the  life  of  one  of  our  boys.     In  the  pantry. 

stood  for  a  minute  or  two  looking  at  my  friend 
not  sixty  yards  away.  Alas !  Captain  Williams 
had  no  arm  save  a  walking-stick,  and  the  antelope 
passed  slowly  away  unharmed.  This  kind  of 
vexatious  event  always  occurs  when  the  rifle  is 
left  behind.     You  carry  a  rifle  for  days  and  see 


iS6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


notliino-.  For  a  moiiient  you  leave  it  in  the 
wao-gon,  and  a  magnificent  chance  of  sport  pre- 
sents itself.  Fern  Spruit  became  hateful  to  me. 
AYe  halted  here  a  night  and  day  in  order  to  give 
"  Bless "  proper  treatment.  On  the  following 
morning  "  Ruby,"  a  good  horse,  was  taken  ill,  and 
died  in  less  than  three  hours.  Surgeon  Rayner 
made  a  post-mortem  examination  of  the  body. 
The  animal  appeared  to  have  been  seized  with 
pleurisv,  producing  a  profuse  discharge  into  the 
l)ronchial  tubes  of  white  foam  or  froth,  a  clear 
yellow  serum,  which  had  tried  to  escape  througli 
tlie  windpipe  and  nostrils,  and,  by  the  effort,  had 
produced  suffocation.  The  poor  animal  had  died 
in  two  or  three  minutes  with  all  the  struggles 
and  spasms  consequent  on  suffocation.  A  much 
liarder  trial  was  in  store.  Aly  shooting-pony 
"  Charlie,"  to  me  an  invaluable  animal,  perfectly- 
trained,  was  taken  ill  about  midday,  and  was 
dead  in  the  afternoon.  Major  Giles  and  his 
friends  exhausted  every  effort  to  save  this  pony. 
Every  remedy  was  tried.  For  a  short  time 
sulphur  burnt  under  the  nostrils  ajD^^eared  to  pro- 
duce a  o'ood  effect.  Durino-  half-an-hour  the  dis- 
charge  poured  profusely  through  the  nostrils,  and 
if  this  could  have  continued,  the  pony  might 
have  survived.  So  strong  was  he  that  three  men 
could  scarcely  hold  him  in  his  efforts  to  escape 
from  the  sulphur  fumes.  Suddenly  the  discharge 
ceased  to  flow ;  in  a  second  he  fell  to  the  ground 
and  expired  almost  immediately  with  desperate 
struggles,   biting  the  ground  with    his   teeth.     I 


A  Narrow  Escape. 


187 


was  now  very  sad,  for  tlie  pony  was  a  reo:ular  pet, 
and  I  had  oTO"\vn  quite  attached  to  hiin.  We 
determined  at  once  to  quit  this  malignant  locnlity, 
and  to  proceed  to  Fort  Victoria  on  the  high  veldt, 
where  we  trusted    our   liorses  might  escape   the 


A  "  Veldt  "  fire. 


illness.  Bat  this  cursed  place  was  nearlv  fatal  to 
the  expedition  altogether.  The  heat  of  the  day 
was  great,  the  grass  long,  thick  and  dry.  While 
we  were  at  luncheon  some  natives  must  have  set 
fire  to  the  grass  in  immediate  proximity  to,  and 
to  windward  of,  our  camp.     At  the  well-kno^Mi 


i88  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

crackling  sound  of  a  bnsh  fire  Ave  all  started  to 
our  feet,  and  lielield  that  we  were  surrounded  by 
an  advancing  mass  of  high  roaring  flame,  distant 
from  our  waggons  less  than  n  hundred  yards. 
Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost,  everyone  turned 
out ;  fortunately  we  were  numerous,  forty  all  told  ; 
some  seized  a  coat,  some  a  rug,  some  a  sack,  some  a 
branch  of  a  tree  hastily  torn  down,  and  dashed  at 
the  flames  to  beat  down  the  burning  grass  and  to 
arrest  the  progress  of  the  fire.  For  a  minute  or 
two  the  result  seemed  doubtful,  but  by  great 
exertion  the  fire  was  overcome  and  extino-uished 
Avithin  a  feAV  yards  of  the  camp.  At  one  time  I 
feared  that  much  property  Avould  have  been  con- 
sumed and  that  great  and  irreparable  loss  Avould 
have  been  incurred.  The  natiA'es  are  in  the  habit 
of  lighting  these  fires  with  perfect  carelessness  as 
to  Avho  or  Avliat  may  be  in  the  neighbourhood. 
Afterwards  they  search  the  charred  ground  for 
dead  rats  and  mice,  which  they  find  in  quantities 
and  eat.  The  heat  of  the  sun,  of  the  flames,  the 
violent  exercise  immediately  after  luncheon,  made 
tAvo  or  three  of  our  party  very  unwell.  Alto- 
gether this  Avas  a  hateful  and  abominable  spot,  and 
the  day  Avas  one  of  discomfort  and  disaster.  While 
Ave  were  inspanning  for  the  evening  trek,  the 
horse  "  Bless,"  which  Ave  thought  to  save,  Avas 
suddenly  taken  worse,  and  died  in  a  few  minutes. 
A  quarter  of  an  hour  more  nothing  remained  of  us 
to  mark  our  stay,  save  the  three  dead  bodies  of 
our  poor  horses  lying  stiff  and  stark  and  ghastly 
on  the   A'eldt.     I    drove    on  in  the    "spider"   to 


Fort  Victoria.  189 


Fort  Victoria  througli  a  pass  in  the  hills  pomp- 
ously designated  "  Providence  Gorge. "  We  had 
all  expected  to  find  in  this  awfully-named  passage 
lieetling  cliffs,  sheer  ^^recipices,  foaming  cataracts, 
a  journev  of  incident  and  even  peril — in  short,  all 
the  features  of  the  high  xllps  or  Apennines.  Bnt 
"  Providence  Gorge  "  is  nothing  more  than  a  long- 
valley  between  two  low  ranges  of  hills,  gradaally 
and  slowly  ascending  some  six  or  seven  hundred 
feet  from  Fern  Spruit  to  the  plain  on  which  lies 
Fort  Victoria.  This  plain  is  of  great  extent, 
destitute  almost  of  tree  or  bush,  the  horizon  broken 
here  and  there  by  isolated  hills,  at  the  foot  of  one 
of  which  is  situated  the  fort.  The  fresh  and 
bracing  air  of  this  vast  expanse  made  the  change 
from  the  low  to  the  high  veldt  perceptible,  and 
very  pleasant.  The  country  stretching  away  to 
the  north  appeared  to  be  fair  and  attractive,  but 
on  closer  acquaintance  this  apjDearance  turned  out 
to  be  most  delusive. 

There  is  nothing  veiy  remarkable  about  Fort 
Victoria.  A  small  square  enclosure,  protected  by 
a  mound,  a  ditch,  a  Maxim  gun,  surrounded  by  a 
cluster  of  huts  built  of  mud,  reeds,  and  grass,  marks 
the  rule  of  the  British  South  Africa  Chartered 
Company,  and  the  site  of  what  may  one  day  be  a 
populous  and  prosperous  township.  The  Com- 
pany at  present  maintain  here  a  force  of  sixty-five 
jDolice,  commanded  by  Captain  Turner.  I  learnt 
that  the  natives  around  had  orown  somewhat  bold 
in  their  depredations,  and  had  made  off  with  cattle 
grazing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort.     An  ex^Dedition 


190  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

to  one  of  tlie  Kraals  liacl  become  necessary,  and 
some  appearance  of  defence  on  the  part  of  the 
natives  had  been  made,  but  when  the  police 
advanced  at  the  charge  the  natives  fled  in  pre- 
cipitation. The  cattle  Avere  not  recovered,  but 
others  were  sent  in.  The  health  of  the  force  is 
now  good ;  many  cases  of  fever,  however, 
occurred  during  the  rainy  season,  and  the  altitude, 
3760  feet  above  the  sea,  o-ives  no  imnuinitv  from 
malaria.  The  sickness  also  during  the  rains 
ravages  horses  and  mules.  Out  of  about  600 
horses  brought  here  only  thirty  had  survived,  and 
only  three  had  "  salted,"  namely,  had  the  sickness 
and  recovered  from  it.  This  horse  sickness  is  a 
terrific  scourge,  cither  for  the  settler  or  the 
traveller.  I  am  surj^rised  that  the  Cape  Govern- 
ment or  the  Chartered  Company  do  not  endeavour 
to  cope  seriously  with  this  malady.  Scientific  in- 
vestigation of  the  disease,  of  the  grass  and  water 
consumed  by  the  animals,  conducted  in  the  locality 
by  experts,  assisted  l:)y  farmers  or  transport-riders 
of  experience,  and  carried  on  patiently  for  a  length 
of  time,  would  make  discoveries  of  value.  The 
disease  is  probably  acute  blood-poisoning  caused  by 
some  iDacillus.  This,  if  discovered,  might  be 
cultivated,  and  inoculation  might  give  protection. 
It  might  be  well  if  some  authority,  British  or 
Colonial,  would  ofter  a  large  reward  for  the  dis- 
covery of  a  remedy  or  of  a  successful  treatment. 
The  Bechuanaland  Border  Police  have  been  losing, 
and  are  still  losing,  from  80  to  90  per  cent,  of 
their     horses.       The     losses     of     the     Chartered 


Advice  to  Intending  Emigrants.         191 


Comi^any  have  been  on  a  similar  scale,  and  have 
been  equalled  by  those  of  private  persons.  The 
roadside  from  Tuli  hitiier  is  literally  strewed  Avitli 
dead  bodies  of  horses  and  mules.  I  had  been  ex- 
ceptionally fortunate,  having  only  lost  four  out  of 
thirteen  horses,  and  nine  out  of  twenty  mules 
originally  purchased.  Many  other  persons  had 
lost  every  horse  and  mule  in  their  possession. 
Colonel  Ferreira,  proceeding  up  country  in  charge 
of  several  horses  for  the  Company,  had  lost  every 
one.  The  De  Beers  Company  expedition  were  in  a 
similar  plight.  I  met  Mr.  Hugh  Romilly  outside 
Fort  Victoria  returning  on  foot  to  Tuli  to  rejoin 
his  waggons  which  he  had  left.  He  had  pro- 
ceeded up  country  in  a  Cape  cart  drawn  by  four 
horses.  All  had  died  after  crossing  the  Lundi. 
Mr.  Alfred  Beit  lost  more  than  half  his  mules,  and 
on  reachino;  Fort  Victoria,  had  to  resort  to  oxen  to 
draw  his  carriage  and  light  Avaggons.  Many 
others  had  sustained  similar  large  and  heavy 
losses.  I  arrived  at  Fort  Charter  with  a  team  of 
six  "  unsalted "  horses  in  the  "  spider,"  and  of 
twelve  mules  in  the  mule  waggon,  all  in  good 
health  and  condition,  and  J  believe  I  was  the  first 
who  had  ever  brought  up  so  many  so  far.  I 
would  advise  any  one  at  home,  who  might  l)e  con- 
templating an  expedition  out  here  next  year,  to 
send  out  an  ao-ent  some  months  in  advance  to  the 
Transvaal  to  purchase  a  dozen  or  more  "  salted  " 
horses  and  a  score  or  more  of  "  salted "  mules. 
These  would  cost  from  QOl.  to  SOI.  a  hoi'se,  aod 
from  20/.   to   30/.   a  nmle.     They  would  sell  at  a 


192  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

large  23rofit  in  Mashonaland  if  good  animals.  But 
the  agent  chosen  to  purchase  must  speak  Dutch 
well,  and  have  a  perfect  acquaintance  with  the 
ways  and  habits  of  Boer  farmers.  Otherwise  he 
will  not  obtain  their  good  animals.  The  Marico 
district  is  the  Ijest  part  of  the  Transvaal  in 
which  to  23urcliase  horses  and  mules. 


Departure  for  Fort  Salisbury.  193 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CHARACTER      OF       THE      COUNTRY       BETWEEN     FORTS 
VICTORIA    AND    SALISBURY. 

Departure  for  Fort  Salisbury — Our  native  workmen — "Water  in 
the  desert — A  dreary  journey — The  country  between 
Fort  Victoria  and  Fort  Charter — -Whore  is  the  'Promised 
Land '  1 — We  meet  Mr.  Colquhoun — The  garrison  of  Fort 
Charter — From  Fort  Charter  to  Fort  Salisbury — Lions  in 
the  way— The  Settlement  at  Fort  Salisbury — Signs  of 
civilization — The  gold  districts  of  Manica,  Mazoe  Kiver, 
and  Hartley  Hill — Reconnoitring  after  Game 

]Major  Giles  and  the  waggons  reached  Fort 
,  Victoria  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  August. 
As  the  year  was  getting  on,  and  as  time  was 
growing  short,  it  was  decided  tliat  I  should  go 
ahead  of  the  waggons  to  Fort  Sahsbury,  travelUng 
with  the  "  spider  "  and  mule  waggon,  and  arriving 
at  Fort  Salisbury,  if  all  went  well,  ten  days  or  a 
fortnight  before  the  slowly-travelling  ox  teams. 
The  morning  was  occupied  in  fitting  out  and  pro- 
visioning for  three  weeks  this  small  flying  column. 
]\Iy  three  remaining  mules  were  turned  over  to  the 
mule  waggon,  which  now  possesses  a  fine  team  of 
fourteen.  Six  horses  were  inspanned  into  the 
*'  spider,"  making  a  most  respectable  appearance, 
and  I  comforted  myself  with  the  idea  that,  reserv- 
ing a  little  for  a  final  gallop,  I  would  dash  up  to 
Fort    Salisbury   in    imposing    style.     But  I   Avas 

o 


194  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa, 


harassed  with  doubt  and  anxiety  as  to  whether 
this  nice  fast  team  ^70ukl  not  all  die  before  I 
reached  Fort  Charter,  and  it  was  with  much  mis- 
giving that  I  started  on  my  way  at  two  o'clock  in 

the  afternoon  of  the  6th. 
Shortly  after  we  had  left 
Ave  were  approached  by 
three  naked  savages,  who 
asked  to  be  allowed  to  ac- 
company us,  and  to  work 
for  us  for  one  or  two  months 
on  condition  that  they 
should  at  the  end  of 
that  time  each  receive  a 
1)lanket.  We  told  them 
that  we  could  spare  them 
no  food,  as  we  Avere  all 
closely  rationed.  This 
they  thought  of  no  im- 
portance, and  without  any 
actual  agreement  being 
come  to,  they  attached 
themselves  to  us,  and  have 
followed  us  till  now. 
They  are  an  amusing 
and  interestino;  trio — a  bis; 

One  of  oar  boys  (as  he  appeared  medium-sizpd 

with  all  his  household  goods).   ^'^^''&^'        '^       mcaiLim  SlZLCl 

one,  and  a  small  one. 
AVhen  we  arrive  at  an  outsjDan  they  set  off  and 
collect  brushwood  for  the  camp  iire,  and  also  take 
the  barrels  and  buckets  doA\Ti  to  the  neighbouring 
pool  01'  stream  for  fresh  water,  making  themselves 


An  Amusing  Trio. 


195 


in  this  way  very  useful.  Their  loaggage  consists 
of  three  dried  pumpkin  shells,  in  which  they  carry 
a  scanty  supply  of  mealies  and  water.  With  a 
little  old  sacking  and  half  an  old  blanket  found 
among  our  odds  and 
ends,  they  are  now  fit 
to  appear  in  Rotten 
Row.  An  expression  of 
anxiety  and  melancholy 
overcasts  their  counte- 
nances, otherwise  intelli- 
gent ;  grave  and  serious 
gestures  mark  their  de- 
meanour, not  without 
grace  and  dignity.  They 
seldom  smile,  and  never 
lauoii.  A  dreary  and 
tedious  journey  is  the 
one  designated  under 
the  headino-  of  this 
chapter.  Five  days  and 
a  half  were  occupied  in 
getting  over  the  distance 
of  125  miles  to  Fort 
Charter,  though,  if  the 
road  had  been  at  all 
decent,  less  than  four 
clays  would  have  sufficed 
for  my  horses  and  mules, 
at  from  a  distance  at  Fort  Victoria,  seemed  so 
fair,  is  an  endless  and  most  wearisome  tract  of 
barren  sand,  covered  with  dry,  cOarse  grass,  with 

0  2 


One  of  our  boj's  (ia  sackcloth, 
drawing  water.  Round  his  neck 
are  two  biscuits,  gifts  mistaken 
as  intended  for  use  as  ornambnt 
instead  of  for  food). 

The  plain  which,  looked 


196  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in   South  Africa. 

stunted  trees  and  bushes.  No  flowing  river 
refreshes  this  expanse.  Water  there  is  in 
abundance,  but  of  Imd  quality,  lying  in  stagnant 
pools,  slopping  about  in  marshes  and  in  swamps. 
Nor  is  it  easy  for  the  traveller  to  detect  from  the 
road  the  presence  of  this  essential  element ;  the 
low-lying  ground  must  be  carefully  searched,  or 
else  the  much-wanted  jdooI  may  be  passed  by. 
Between  eleven  and  twelve  in  the  morning,  and 
between  three  and  four  in  the  afternoon,  the 
trekker,  with  mules  and  horses,  must  find  water  if 
he  desires  to  keep  his  animals  in  health  and  strength. 
On  two  days  we  failed  so  to  find  it,  Avith  consequent 
great  anxiety  and  inconvenience.  It  would  be 
easy  for  the  Chartered  Company  to  cause  posts  and 
notices  to  be  erected  along  the  road  at  places 
where  water  is  near.  Mile-posts  or  stones  along 
this  endless  veldt,  the  maps  of  which  are  vague 
and  inaccurate,  would  again  be  of  inestimable 
advantage  and  of  facile  establishment.  If  the 
trekker  is  to  arrange  his  "  scoffs  "  (that  is,  journeys 
from  outspan  to  outspan)  well  for  his  animals,  he 
must  know  where  he  is  and  how  far  he  has  travelled 
or  has  to  travel.  But  this  knowledge  it  is  impos- 
sible to  obtain  under  j)i'Gsent  conditions.  The 
natives  who  are  met  with  have  no  idea  of  distance. 
Asked  if  a  particular  place  or  water  is  near,  they 
raise  the  right  arm,  pointing  it  straight  out  to  a 
level  with  the  shoulder ;  if  it  is  far,  the  arm  is 
raised  higher  ;  if  it  is  very  far,  then  almost  per- 
pendicularly over  the  head.  This  does  not  tell  one 
much,  and   even  the  traveller  of  experience  may 


The  slow  progress  of  the  "Spider."      197 

often  be  a  dozen  miles  or  so  nearer  to  or  further 
from  the  place  he  desires  to  reach  than  he  is  at  all 
aware  of.  But  what  makes  this  stretch  of  plain 
from  Fort  Victoria  to  Fort  Charter  so  hopeless  is  the 
character  of  the  soil  and  the  nature  of  the  e'rass. 
Almost  the  whole  way  the  road  lies  through  heavy 
sand,  in  which  passing  waggons  have  worn  deep  ruts, 
and  on  which  the  animals  obtain  no  tirm  foothold. 
For  long  distances  the  "  spider"  and  mule  waggon 
could  only  progress  at  the  rate  of  two  miles  and  a 
half  in  the  hour  ;  where  the  incline  in  the  ground 
is  adverse  the  mules  have  to  stop  to  get  their 
breath  every  three  or  four  minutes,  and  they  reach 
the  end  of  their  trek  perfectly  exhausted.  In 
addition,  the  whole  veldt  on  either  side  of  the 
road  is  what  is  called  "  sour  veldt  "  (that  is,  coarse, 
hard,  dry  grass),  distasteful  to  the  animals,  espe- 
cially to  oxen,  perfectly  mmourishing.  These  two 
bad  features  of  so  loDg  a  road  render  travel  along 
it  all  but  impossil^le.  Water  is  bad  and  difficult 
to  find,  brushwood  for  tire  scarce  and  hard  to 
obtain.  The  surrounding  scenery  is  rendered  in- 
describably dreary  at  this  season  of  the  year  by 
vast  tracts  of  l)urnt  grass,  presenting  a  blackened 
and  charred  appearance ;  and  day  after  day  the 
traveller  A'iews  with  displeasure  and  dismay  his 
animals  becoming  more  lean,  more  lanky,  more 
fatigued,  more  weak,  less  and  less  able  to  proceed 
with  the  loads  ])chind  them,  although,  to  spare 
them,  the  dailv  distances  accomplished  are  brought 
down  to  less  than  six  miles.  This  is  the  problem 
of  this  part  of  the  route :  press  your  animals  and 


198  Men,  Mines,  and  Animaxs  in  South  Africa. 


they  will  lie  down  by  dozens,  never  to  rise  again  ; 
rest  them,  let  them  graze,  reduce  your  hours  of 
travel,  they  derive  no  benefit  from  the  food  or  the 
repose,  and  the  length  of  your  stay  in  this  horrible 
plain  becomes  perilously  long.  This  is  the  part  of 
the  road  from  the  south  to  ]\Iashonaland  which  is 
in  my  opinion  absolutely  fatal  to  the  route  as  a 
route  for  commerce  or  for  supplies  to  any  consider- 
able population.  The  vast  tract  of  country  between 
Fort  Victoria  and  Fort  Charter  is  unsuitable  and 
grievous  either  for  man  or  for  domestic  beast. 
Any  profitable  cultivation  of  this  sandy  soil  is 
impossible.  In  a  few  spots  here  and  there  the 
natives  raise  ]:)oor  crops  of  mealies.  The  climate  is 
capricious  and  variable.  One  day  the  heat  is  so 
great  that  it  is  difficult  to  support  a  flannel  shirt ; 
the  next  day  a  cold  wind,  driving  rain,  or  thick 
fog  causes  you  to  shiver  in  a  great-coat  and  muffler. 
This  cold  wind  and  rain  is  to  be  expected  at  this 
time  of  the  year  at  least  twice  in  the  course  of  a 
moon,  producing  the  worst  effects  on  the  spans  of 
oxen. 

AVhere,  then,  I  commenced  to  ask  myself,  is  the 
inuch-talked-of  fine  country  of  the  Mashona  V 
Where  is  the  "  promised  land "  so  desperately 
coveted  by  the  Boers  ?  On  the  low  veldt,  where 
the  soil  is  of  extraordinary  fertility,  fever  and 
horse  sickness  afflict  human  beings  and  exterminate 
stock ;  on  the  high  veldt,  whore  neither  of  these 
evils  extensively  prevails,  the  soil  is  l^arren  and 
worthless.  I  am  told  that  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  in  the  north  and  north-Avest  of  Fort  Salisbury, 


Where  is  the    Promised  Land'?        199 

all  the  couditions  arc  better,  that  the  hind  is  good 
and  the  cUmate  fairly  healthy,  and  I  trust  that  this 
report  may  turn  out  to  ]3e  true,  for  having  now 
travelled  upwards  of  two  hundred  miles  througli 
Mashonaland,  I  have,  as  yet,  seen  no  place  suitable 
for  prosperous  European  settlements.  To  one 
person  only  would  this  country  be  attractive,  to 
the  sportsman  or  the  hunter.  According  to  nati\'e 
reports,  on  which  reliance  can  be  placed,  game 
abounds.  Antelope  of  all  kinds  are  numerous, 
sable,  wildebeest,  hartebeest,  eland,  ostriches,  all 
can  be  found  and  chased,  though  good  galloping 
horses  will  be  necessary  for  success,  Avhile  the 
presence  of  many  lions  offers  an  exciting  variation 
to  the  l)old  and  steady  shot.  I  saw  from  the  road 
and  examined  through  a  telescope,  two  fine  herds 
of  hartebeest,  but  could  not  chase  them,  as  all  the 
strength  of  the  horses  was  necessary  for  the  trek. 
No  incident  of  any  kind  marked  the  hours  of  our 
travel.  We  passed  many  ox  waggons  brought  to 
a  stop  owing  to  the  bad  road  and  the  bad  grass. 
Two  white  men.  Englishmen,  making  the  journey 
on  foot  excited  our  envy  and  admiration.  All  the 
time  they  kept  up  with  us,  passing  with  ease  in 
the  daytime  our  struggling  horses  and  mules.  A 
couple  of  blankets  and  a  small  bundle  of  trading 
goods  to  barter  for  grain  with  the  natives  were 
all  their  possessions,  a  bush  or  rock  on  the 
veldt  their  only  sleeping  accommodation,  l)ut  a 
cheerful  heart  and  a  Hght  step  bore  them  gaily 
on  to  an  unknown  goal  and  unguessed  fortunes. 
We  lost  two  mules   on  two  successive    days   from 


200  Men,  Mines,  and  Anlmals  in  South  Africa. 

sickness,  probably  contracted  in  the  low  country  ; 
the  remainder  of  the  mule  team  and  the  six  horses, 
well  fed  with  as  many  mealies  as  they  could  eat, 
kept  fairly  well  and  strong,  and  two  days'  rest  at 
Fort  Charter  com^^letely  restored  them.  About 
tive  miles  south  of  the  fort,  on  the  evening  of  the 
11th  August,  I  met  Mr.  Colquhoun,  tlie  chief  civil 
administrator  of   Mashonaland,  proceeding   down 


The  camp  before  Fort  Charter. 


country  to  meet  .Mr.  Rhodes.  ]Mi'.  Cok|idiomi  was 
good  enough  to  stay  and  converse  for  a  short  time. 
He  seemed  sano-uine  as  to  the  future  of  the 
country.  The  gold  findings  on  the  Umfuli  River, 
near  Hartley  Hill,  he  told  me  Avere  expected  to 
turn  out  of  s'reat  excellence,  and  he  had  had  favour- 
able  reports  about  the  i)rospecting  on  the  Mazoe 
River.  Fort  Salisbury,  he  added,  was  becoming 
quite  a  township,  with  a  regidar  street  of  huts  and 


Sleighing  in  Summer. 


201 


tents,  possessing  t^u'o  auctioneers.  We  reached 
Fort  Charter  on  the  followino-  mornino-.  The 
days  and  nights  of  the  10th  and  the  11th  had  been 
wet,  cold,  and  foggy;  but  on  the  historic  12th  the 
sun  shone  out  brightly,  and  I  thought  of  the  moors, 
of.  the  grouse,  of  the  Scotch   expresses,  of  friends 


'M^'  ^'>k.^,/^'^' 


Summer  sleighiug  in  Mashonalaud  on  the  high  road  during  the  rainy 

season. 


pi'oceeding  noi'thAvards,  Fort  Charter  is  the  coun- 
terpart of  Fort  Victoria.  It  Hes  in  the  centre  of  a 
great  pLnin  ;  as  far  as  the  eye  can  range  no  hill  or 
eminence  can  be  seen.  Within  half-a-mile  flows  a 
rivulet  containino;  a  fair  amount  of  tolerable  Avater 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year.     Both  Fort  Charter  and 


202   AlEN,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

Fort  Victoria  appeared  to  be  miserably  weak  con- 
structioiis,  wbicli  a  few  thousand  Matabele  would 
probably  rush  with  ease,  attacking,  as  is  their 
habit,  in  the  dark  just  before  daybreak.  There  is 
nothing  to  stop  the  rush  of  the  savage  foe,  save  a 
ditch  from  3  to  4  feet  deep,  a  mound  from  10  to 
12  feet  hio-h  from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  and 
two  or  three  strands  of  barbed  wire  stretched  on 
weak  posts.  I  thought  that  something  in  the 
nature  of  clievaux  de  frise — something  in  the 
nature  of  wire  entanglements,  would  be  advan- 
tageous and  easy  of  construction,  but  I  was  assured 
that  such  ideas  were  quite  wrong  and  foolish.  The 
oflSlcers  of  the  police  evidently  disdain  the  Matabele, 
and  have  perfect  confidence  in  their  Martini- 
Henry  rifles  and  their  jMaxim  gun.  I  hope  they 
are  right,  but  the  African  savage  has  often  proved 
himself  to  be  no  contemptible  foe,  even  against  arms 
of  precision.  The  precaution  of  sinking  a  well 
either  within  or  close  by  the  fort  has  been  taken 
neither  here  nor  at  Victoria,  nor  at  Fort  Salisbury. 
Surely  this  neglect  is  imprudent.  The  garrisibn 
of  Fort  Charter  consisted  of  a  lieutenant  and 
twelve  troopers,  of  whom  ten  were  sick  with 
various  ailments.  The  medical  arrangements  for 
the  health  of  the  Company's  force  appeared  to  be 
altogether  inadequate.  There  was  no  doctor  either 
at  Fort  Tuli,  where  there  are  upwards  of  a 
hundred  men  all  told,  or  at  Fort  Victoria,  where 
there  are  nearly  seventy,  or  at  Fort  Charter. 
Hospital  orderlies  have  to  do  duty  as  doctors.  For 
three  months  during  last  rainy  season  a  force  of 


The  Garrison  at  F'ort  Charter.         203 

over  sixty  men  at  Fort  Charter,  Avitli  many  sick, 
never  saw  a  doctor.  Also,  for  a  long  time, 
throughout  the  country  there  was  a  total  absence 
of  medicines  or  medical  comforts.  Surgeon 
Rayner,  whose  brother  died  of  fever  at  Fort 
Charter  last  January  while  serving  in  the  police, 
made  an  exhaustive  investigation  into  this  matter. 
He  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  medical 
arrangements  made  by  the  Company  for  the 
occupying  force  were  most  unsatisfactory,  indeed, 
scandalously  defective,  and  that  even  at  the  time 
of  his  inquiry  they  were  open  to  grave  criticism. 
It  is  said  that  the  Company  will  abandon  Fort 
Charter.  The  usefulness  of  the  position  is  not 
obvious.  Situated  some  miles  from  the  main  road 
in  a  sandy  plain,  where  no  one  is  ever  likely  to 
settle,  it  commands  nothing  and  offers  no  protec- 
tion. The  altitude  of  the  fort  is  4700  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea  ;  nevertheless,  fever  in  the  rainy 
season  is  common  and  serious. 

From  Fort  Charter  to  Fort  Salisbury  is  a  dis- 
tance of  upwards  of  sixty  miles.  Leaving  the 
former  j)lace  on  the  evening  of  the  13th  August, 
we  reached  the  Upper  Umfuli  on  the  morning  of 
the  15th.  The  same  heavy  sandy  road,  the  same 
wide  tracts  of  l^urnt  grass  Avhich  impeded  our  pro- 
gress to  Fort  Charter  marked  the  road  to  the 
Umfuli.  Here  two  of  the  mules  gave  out,  and  had 
to  be  led  alongside  of  the  span  for  the  remainder 
of  the  journey.  Stories  of  lions  and  of  their 
audacity  in  attacking  cattle  outspanned  at  night 
were    common    along    the    road.     Every  waggon 


204  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

met  witli  had  had  its  adventure  with  these  beasts. 
One  trekker,  while  journeying,  had  had  his  span 
attacked  by  a  hon.  An  ox  was  kilk'd,  and  the 
remainder  broke  loose  from  the  yokes,  strayed  into 
the  bush,  into  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  six 
were  never  recovered,  AVe  took  extra  precautions 
in  the  way  of  lighting  and  keeping  up  several 
tires  all  night  round  our  camp,  but  we  never  saw, 
or  even  heard,  a  lion.  From  the  Umfuli  to  the 
Hunyani  River  bush  veldt  is  traversed,  in  parts 
thick.  The  road  slightly  improves  in  character. 
Soon  after  leaving  the  Umfuli  I  went  on  in  the 
"  spider,"  the  mule  waggon  proceeding  "\\dth  its 
diminished  team  at  a  verv  slow  ])iice.  I  reached 
Fort  Salisbury  on  the  evening  of  the  1 5tli  August, 
having  accomplished  a  distance  of  thirty-tivc  miles 
between  the  hours  of  6  a.m.  and  4  p.m.  This  was 
good  travelling  for  this  part  of  the  world.  i\.bout 
six  miles  from  Fort  Salisbury,  after  emerging 
from  the  bush  on  to  the  open  plain,  the  traveller 
passes  on  his  right  hand  a  large  and  remarkable 
native  kraal.  The  small  conical-roofed  hut  and 
store -places  of  the  Mashonas  dwelling  here  are 
perched  on  the  various  jutting  and  projecting 
peaks  and  points  of  n  large  rocky  ko])jc.  Access 
to  many  of  these  can  only  be  obtained  by  means 
of  long  poles  and  rough  ladders.  Fear  of  the 
savage  Matabele  compels  the  natives  thus  to  dwell. 
Lobengula  has  raided,  ravaged,  and  depopulated 
the  country.  The  traveller  can  procure  neither 
mealies,  cattle,  meat,  eggs,  poultry,  nor  milk.  All 
has  been  taken  or  destroyed.     In  a  year  or  two  it 


Fort  Salisbury. 


20: 


is  to  be  hoped  tliat,  under  the  protection  of, the 
Chartered  Company  things  will  be  changed,  that 
the  Matabele  raids  will  be  occurrences  of  the  past, 
and  that  the  poor,  starving,  hunted,  timid  Mashona 
will  grow  his  mealies  and  possess  his  flocks  and 
herds  in  peace.  For  the  present,  however,  the 
country  gives  the  traveller  no  assistance  whatever 


Native  paintings  on  rocks  at  Matefi's  kraal. 

in  the  way  of  sustenance  either  for  himself  or  his 
animals.  Situated  in  a  wide  and  stretching  plain, 
uncovered  by  bush.  Fort  Salisbury  is  not  perceived 
by  one  approaching  from  the  south  until  actually 
reached.  The  settlement  lies  at  the  foot  of  and 
around  a  long  kopje  about  three  hundred  feet  high, 
thickly    clothed    with  small  trees.     About  half  a 


2o6  Mex,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


mile  to  tlie  eastward  are  the  fort  and  surrounding 
liuts,  and  again,  half  a  mile  further  on,  we  find  the 
civil  lines,  where  reside  Dr.   Jamieson,  the  civil 
administrator,  and  the  other  officials  of  the  Com- 
pany.    Here  I  outspanned,  and  was  very  kindly 
accommodated  with  a  hut  by  Sir  John  Willoughby. 
In  this  climate  these  huts  give  excellent  shelter. 
Round,    about    sixteen    feet    in    diameter,    with 
sharply-pitched  conical  roofs,   built  of  poles  and 
mud,  and  thatched  with  grass,  they  are  Avarm  at 
nio'ht  and  wondrously  cool  in  the  heat  of  the  day. 
They  can  be  erected  by  the  natives  in  a  week  at  a 
cost   of  from    lOL    to    12/.     Quite    an    imposing 
number  of   these  huts,  among  Avhich   are    inter- 
spersed waggons,  carts,   tents,   shanties    of  every 
conceivable  description,  compose  the  settlement  of 
Fort   Salisbury,  where  resided  from  500  to   800 
persons.     The  place  had  a  thriving,  rising,  healthy 
appearance.     The  settlers,  hard  at  work,  occupied 
with  one  business  or  another  from  dawn  to  dusk, 
wore  an  expression  of  contentment  and  of  confi- 
dence.    A  small  river  flowing  through  the  plain, 
not  a  mile  distant  from  any  part  of  the  settlement, 
yields  an  abundant  supply  of  water.     The  soil  is 
dry  and  stony,  all  moisture  either  quickly   drying 
up  or  running  quickly  off ;  the  altitude  is  40   ft. 
short  of  5000  ft.  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  air 
fresh    and    bracing,    and    these    conditions    will 
probably  guarantee  the  good  sanitary  state  of  the 
township  and  its  people,  even  during  the  summer 
and  rainy   seasons.     In  the   distance  surrounding 
the  plain,  from  which  here  and  there  project  rocky 


Signs  of  Civilization.  207 


eminences  and  hus-e  o-ranite  boulders,  are  rano-es 
of  low  hills,  among  which,  to  the  north,  rises  Mount 
Hampden,  conspicuous  and  solitary.  In  a  walk 
round  the  settlement  the  next  day,  I  noticed 
a  hotel  where  was  laid  out  a  table  cVhufc  with 
clean  napkins  ensconced  in  glasses  on  the  table, 
three  auctioneers'  offices,  several  stores,  the  hut 
of  a  surgeon-dentist,  another  of  a  chemist,  a  third 
of  a  solicitor,  and  last,  but  not  least  among  the 
many  signs  of  civilization,  a  tolerably  smart 
perambulator.  But  the  necessaries  of  life,  whether 
of  food  or  raiment,  ^vere  luxuries  at  Fort  Salisbury, 
and  costly  in  the  extreme.  Bread,  meat,  butter, 
jam  had  risen  to  impossible  prices. 

My  first  inquiries  were  naturally  directed 
towards  ascertaining  the  extent  and  nature  of  the 
gold  discoveries.  Little  could  be  learnt.  I  knew 
almost  as  much  before  leaving  London  on  this 
important  matter  as  I  did  after  a  day  j)assed  at 
Fort  Salisbur)^  Three  gold  districts  attracted  the 
prospector: — 1.  Manica. — Of  this  district  nothing 
was  then  precisely  known.  Colonel  Pennefather 
and  Mr.  Selous,  Avho  had  been  there  for  some 
weeks,  were  expected  to  be  back  at  Fort  Salisbury 
in  a  few  days,  and  we  hoped  then  to  learn  some- 
thing definite  about  this  territory,  which  had  been 
the  subject  of  so  much  wild  rumour  and  of  so 
much  bitter  dispute.  2.  The  gold  reefs  on  the 
Mazoe  River. — These  lie  about  twenty-five  to 
thirty  miles  distant  from  Fort  Salisbury  in  a  north- 
easterly direction.  A  great  many  prospectors  had 
been  at  work  here,  but  all  accounts  of  their  dis- 


2o8   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


co^■e^ies  and  of  their  value  were  vague  and  un- 
certain ;  on  the  whole,  however,  not  encouraging, 
a  yield  of  from  1  oz.  to  30  qwts.  per  ton  being  as 
much  as  was  claimed  for  the  best  reefs.  Some- 
thing very  much  better  than  this  will  be  required 
liere  for  a  payable  mine  under  present  conditions. 
No  deep  shafts  have  yet  been  sunk,  and  the  depth 
of  the  ore  is  unknown.  The  regulation  30  ft.  hole 
had  been  dug  on  many  claims,  which  of  itself  gives 
little  or  no  information.  Water  had  arrested 
deeper  sinkings,  and  sti^ange  to  say,  among  all  the 
minino-  plant  brought  into  this  country,  including 
three  or  four  stamp  batteries,  there  was  not  to  be 
found  one  single  pump.  3.  The  Hartley  Hill  dis- 
trict.— This  a  gold  district,  wide  and  scattered, 
about  thirty  or  forty  miles  to  the  north-westward 
of  Fort  Salisbury.  On  my  arri^-al  at  Fort  Salis- 
bury I  found  quite  a  '■  boom "'  of  claims  pegged 
out  on  the  Umfuli  River,  flowing  near  Hartley 
Hill.  Reports  of  very  rich  reefs  having  been  dis- 
covered, yielding  many  ounces  to  the  ton,  were 
common,  and  some  excitement  prevailed.  At  the 
time  of  writing  these  pages  nothing  definite  or 
precise  is  known,  or  can  be  known,  about  the 
gold  deposits  of  Mashonaland.  There  had  been 
no  one  in  the  country  possessing  expert  know- 
ledge, on  which  reliance  could  be  placed,  and,  even 
if  there  had  been  such  persons,  no  sufficient  de- 
velopment work  had  been  effected  to  enable  an 
opinion  of  any  value  to  be  formed.  ]\lany  months, 
probably  a  year  or  two,  must  elapse  before  any 
certaintv  can  be  arrived  at  as  to  whether  Mashona- 


Thf  Gold-fields.  209 

land  is  a  gold-producing  country  or  not.  Even  if 
it  turns  out  to  be  a  country  possessing  gold 
deposits,  the  payable  character  of  these  depends 
entirely  u])on  ^vhether  cheap  and  easy  access  to 
them  can  be  gained.  Xothing  can  be  more  un- 
certain than  the  character  of  the  Pungwe  lli\'e]' 
route.  Accounts  are  most  conflicting,  some 
persons  asserting  that  this  I'oute  is  quite  imprac- 
ticable, others  that  it  is  extraordinarily  easy. 
But  eyen  if  the  latter  assertion  be  true,  nenrly  500 
miles  of  land  transit  will  embarrass  the  Avorking  of 
the  mines  near  Hartley  Hill.  So  well  aware  of 
this  serious  fact  were  the  officials  of  the  Company 
that  Sir  John  Willoughby  was  commissioned  to 
form  a  sjoecial  expedition  to  discoyer,  first,  whether 
a  road  can  be  made  from  the  Hartley  Hill  district 
to  Zumbo  on  the  Zambesi,  a  distance  of  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  miles,  and  secondly,  to  ascertain 
whether  the  Zambesi  is  nayigable  between  Zumbo 
and  Tette.  In  my  opinion,  at  the  present  time  all 
that  can  be  said  of  ]\Iashonaland  from  a  minino' 
point  of  yiew  is  that  the  odds  are  oyerwhelmingiy 
against  the  making  of  any  i-apid  or  large  fortune 
by  any  indiyidual. 

The  mule  Ayaggon  arriyed  safely  at  Fort 
Salisbury  late  on  the  eyening  of  the  16th,  the 
mules  being  harassed  and  exhausted.  Mr.  Henry 
C.  Perkins,  the  mining  expert,  Avho  accompanied 
me,  was  desirous  of  proceeding  at  once  to  the 
Mazoe  Eiyer  district,  Avhither  had  repaired  a 
few  days  preyiously  Mr.  Alfred  Beit  and  ■Mr. 
Rolker,    the    mining    expert    sent    out    b\'    the 

p 


2IO  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Chartered  Company.  I  aocordinoly  borrowed  a 
Scotch  cart  (a  light  two-wheeled  covered  Avaggon) 
and  a  span  of  eight  oxen,  with  which  went  also 
two  "  salted "  horses.  Thus  equipped  and  pro- 
visioned for  more  than  a  fortnight,  Mr.    Perkins, 


Mr.  Perkins,  the  niiuiuf^  expert,  on  the  war-path. 


accompanied  l^y  Captain  Williams,  started  for  the 
Mazoe  on  the  morning  of  the  18th  August,  ex- 
pecting to  be  absent  at  least  a  week.  '  I  had 
now  nothing  to  do  pending  the  arrival  of  my 
waggons  from  Fort  Victoria,  Avhich  would  not 
occur,  at  the  best,    I'or  a  fortnight ;   and  hearing 


Reconnoitring  after  Game,  211 

good  reports  of  the  shoot  in  a"  between  tlie  Umfuli 
and  Hiinyani  Rivers,  and  having  fortunately 
secured  Sir  John  Willoughby  as  a  companion,  I 
determined  on  proceeding  on  another  expedition 
after  buck,  and  after  any  other  wihl  animal  that 
chance  might  put  in  mv  wav.  On  the  mornino'  of 
tlie  18th  I  had  a  feM'  hours'  ride  in  the  comjDany 
of  Hans  Lee  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort  Salis- 
bury, towards  IMount  Hampden.  We  saAvnothing 
1)ut  a  reitbuck,  a  steinbuck,  and  a  jackal,  but 
observed  spoor  of  sable  antelope.  We  got  no  shot, 
however.  The  land  round  Fort  Salisbury  in  this 
direction  appears  to  be  of  fairly  good  quality,  well 
sheltered,  well  watered,  and  well  wooded.  If  Fort 
Salisbury  should  ever  become  an  important  town- 
ship, farms  here  might  be  very  prohtal^le.  I  came 
across  two  enterprising  pei'sons  who  had  each  in 
attractive  spots  marked  out  the  regulation  area  of 
three  thousand  acres,  and  were  busily  eno-ao-ed  in 
erecting  huts.  They  seemed  confident  of  success, 
and  were  in  excellent  spirits.  One  hour  before 
daybreak  on  the  19tli  I  left  Fort  Salisbury  in  the 
mule  waggon  for  the  Hunyani  River,  expecting 
Sir  John  Willoughby  to  join  me  later  in  the  day. 


2  12   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SPORT    IN    MASHONALAND. 

Sport  in  South  Africa — Hints  to  inexperienced  sportsmen — 
Approximate  cost  of  equipment  for  a  six  months'  hunting 
expedition — Sir  Jolin  Willoughby  arrives  at  our  camp 
on  the  Hunyani  lliver — ?Iunting  tlie  Hartebeest — How 
to  cook  venison — A  Slough  of  Despond — Further  hunting 
adventures  after  antelope — A  native  hunting  party — A 
cobra  in  the  camp — Metliod  of  scaring  vultures  off  dead 
game — Accident  to  ]\Iajor  Giles — Scarcity  of  grain  and 
food  in  Mashonaland — Keturn  to  Fort  Salisbury. 

To  the  young  Englishman  fond  of  shooting,  of 
riding,  of  a  wild  hunter's  life,  active,  vigorous, 
healthy,  and  endowed  with  adequate  fortune,  those 
reo'ions  of  South  Africa  Avhich  extend  from  the 
Limpopo  to  the  Hunyani  River  offer  a  field  for 
sport  not  to  be  equalled  in  any  other  part  of  the 
world.  During  the  winter  time,  from  May  to 
September,  the  climate  of  this  region  is  almost  per- 
fect, the  risk  of  fever  slight.  The  air  of  the  veldt 
is  invigorating,  the  scenery  and  surroundings  at- 
tractive and  various,  the  life  of  the  hunter  tem- 
perate and  wholesome.  This  man  coming  to  these 
parts  of  Africa,  eager  for  sport,  will  experience 
little,  if  any,  disappointment.  Accompanied  and 
guided  by  some  good  Dutch  hunter,  such  as  Hans 
Lee,  he  will  see,  pursue,  probably  kill  almost 
every  African  wild  animal,  witli  the   exception  of 


I 


Sport  and  Luxury.  213 

the  elephant,  buffalo,  and  rhinoceros.  These  also 
may  he  obtained  Avithout  difficulty,  if  one  is  not 
daunted  by  the  remoteness  of  the  districts  near  the 
Zambesi,  by  the  real  rough  life  incident  on  the 
absence  of  wao-oons  and  of  all  beasts  of  burden, 
owing  to  the  existence  of  the  Tsetse  fly,  or  by  hard 
walking  exercise  under  the  heat  of  a  troj^ical  sun. 
But  in  the  vast  territory  I  have  defined  above,  the 
hunter  may  without  difficulty  surround  and  cheer 
himself  with  every  species  of  comfort.  Waggons 
drawn  by  oxen  or  by  mules,  the  former  are  pre- 
ferable, can  penetrate  to  any  j)art  of  the  bush  veldt ; 
tents,  bedsteads,  provisions  of  all  kinds  can  be 
carried  with  ease,  and  even  a  young  Pall  j\lall 
sybarite  would  acknowledge  that  there  can  be  pro- 
vided out  here  an  inconceivable  combination  of 
sport  and  luxury.  The  soundest  sleep  at  night, 
the  best  of  appetites  for  every  meal,  the  clear  head, 
the  cool  nerve,  the  muscle  and  wind  as  perfect  as 
after  an  autumn  in  the  Highlands,  are  pleasures 
and  delights  which  can  be  here  experienced,  and  to 
which  many  of  our  London  jeunesse  doree  are 
almost  strangers.  All  kinds  of  strange  forest  sights, 
all  the  beauties  and  many,  cjuaint  freaks  of  nature 
will  charm  the  eye  and  exercise  the  mind.  Xor  is  the 
exciting  element  of  danger  by  any  means  altogether 
absent.  The  lion  and  the  leopard  are  beasts  to  en- 
counter which  successfully  requires  skill,  experience, 
and  courage.  Snakes  of  great  venom,  some  of 
great  size,  may  not  infrequently  be  met  with  ;  falls 
from  the  horse  Avhen  galloping  wildly  through  the 
bush  or  over  the  plain,  such  as  even  Leicestershire 
cannot  rival,   may  occur   constantly ;   and  should 


214   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


any  one  imagine  that  antelope-hunting  in  Africa  is 
a  tame,  safe  kind  of  amusement,  three  or  four 
weeks'  exi^erience  of  it  will  easily  undeceive  him. 
Then  the  game.  Such  numbers,  such  variety,  such 
size,  such  beauty.  Xothing  moi'e  wildly  lovely  can 
be  imagined  than  the  sight  of  a  herd  of  roan  antelope, 
of  hartebeest  or  quagga  galloping  through  the 
forest ;  nothing  more  wildly  exciting  than  the 
pursuit  of  such  a  herd  ;  sighting  the  game  through 
the  trees,  sometimes  obtainino;  a  fair  standino;  shot 
Tvdthin  moderate  range,  then  mounting  your  horse, 
loading  as  you  gallop  along,  leaving  him  to  pick 
his  way  as  best  he  can  among  trees,  branches,  roots, 
stones,  and  holes  :  comino-aira in  within  one  hundred 
or  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  not  dismounting,  but 
almost  flinging  yourself  off  your  horse  and  firing 
both  barrels  as  rapidly  and  as  accurately  as  you 
may;  then  on  again,  over  hill,  river,  and  dale, 
until  you  and  your  steed  are  alike  exhausted. 
These  good  chases  will  not  occur  every  day  any 
more  that  a  good  fox  chase  or  a  good  day's  salmon 
fishing  comes  often  in  the  season.  The  hunter  may 
ride  for  miles  and  for  hours  throuofh  the  most 
sporting,  "  gamey "'  kind  of  country  without  set- 
ting eyes  on  a  living  creature  ;  but  ^v^hen  they  do 
occur  they  are  periods  of  excitement  every  inci- 
dent of  Avdiich  the  memory  cannot  fail  during  a  life- 
time to  retaiu.  Then  the  accompaniments,  the 
framework  as  it  were,  of  the  chase  after  buck; 
the  early  start,  the  break  of  day,  the  brilliant  sun- 
rise, the  cool  morning  air,  the  return  to  camp, 
Avearied,  but    pleased    and  excited,  the  bath,  the 


A  Hint  to  leisured  young  Englishmen.  215 


evening  meal,  eaten  with  an  appetite  and  a  zest 
such  as  only  an  African  hunter  knows,  the  camp 
fire,  the  i^ipe,  the  discussion  of  the  day's  sport,  the 
hunter's  stories  and  expeiiences,  the  plans  for  the 
morrow,  no  thoughts  of  rain  or  bad  weather  op- 
pressing the  mind,  all  this  makes  a  combination 
and  a  concentration  of  human  joy  which  Paradise 
might  with  difficulty  vixiii.  Nor  is  this  limiting 
life,  when  pursued  for  a  few  mouths  or  from  time 
to  time,  a  useless,  a  frivolous,  or  a  stupid  existence, 
especially  when  it  is  compared  with  the  sort  of  idle? 
unprofitable  passing  ol*  the  time  experienced  from 
year  to  year  by  numbers  of  young  Englishmen  of 
fortune.  Xature  and  all  her  ways  can  be  observed 
and  studied  with  advanta2:e,  much  knowledo-e  of 
wild  animals  and  of  wild  men  can  be  acquired  by 
the  observant,  the  intelligent  sportsman,  languages 
may  be  learnt,  haljitudes  and  customs  noticed  and 
written  about,  interesting  persons  are  met  with, 
excellent  friendships  are  f(3rmed,  the  mind  and 
the  body  are  seasoned,  liardened,  developed  by 
travel  in  a  wild  country,  all  its  many  incidents, 
its  rough  and  its  smooth,  its  surprises,  its  difficul- 
ties, its  adversities  and  its  perils  ;  and  I  hold  tlrs 
for  certain,  that  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  a  young 
Englishman  who  has  had  six  months  of  iifrican 
hunting  life,  will  be  a  10  lb.  l)etter  fellow  all  round 
than  he  was  l^efore  he  started. 

These  reflections  occur  to  me  as  I  sit  in  the  shade 
of  my  mule  waggon,  encamped  Avithin  a  few  miles 
of  the  Upper  Umfuli,  on  the  banks  of  a  small  river, 
passing  the  evening  moments  of  a  bright  and  warm 


2i6   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa 

African  afternoon  in  writing  these  pages.  I  would 
not  be  presumptuous  enough  to  write  for  the 
trained  tra^'e^er  or  the  ex])erieiiced  hunter  ;  rather 
I  ])ut  down  these  following  ideas  for  the  possilile 
benefit  of  those  who,  like  myself,  without  previous 
experience  or  knowledge  of  this  kind  of  life,  are 
fond  of  travel,  of  sport  of  all  kinds,  who  desire  to 
journey  and  to  stay  for  a  while  in  strange,  almost 
uninhabited,  almost  unexplored  parts  of  the  earth. 
A  six  months'  hunting  ex23edition  out  here  need  not 
be  a  very  costly  business,  at  least  when  comj^ared 
with  the  cost  of  London  life  to  many  a  young  man, 
and  measui-ed  bv  the  amount  of  real  pleasure  and 
advantage  to  be  derived  from  eithei'.  For  the 
purchase  of  a  couple  of  good  waggons,  and  of  a 
couple  of  spans  of  eighteen  or  tAventy  oxen  each,  of 
four  or  five  o-ood  shootin"'  horses,  £100(1  would 
probably  suffice,  and  if  these  requisites  ^ye\v  pur- 
chased with  care  and  skill,  much  of  tliis  outlay 
Avould  l)e  recoA'ered  at  the  termination  of  the  ti'ip. 
Some  £500  for  tents  and  for  the  j^araphernalia  of 
a  camp,  foi'  personal  wants,  for  luxuries  in  the  way 
of  food  and  drink;  and  an  expenditure  of  £*100  a 
month  in  wages  and  food  for  the  boys,  grooms,  and 
native  followers  would  keep  the  expedition  going. 
As  for  personal  outfit,  little  is  required,  but  that 
little  must  be  of  the  best  c[uality.  Good  tanned 
buckskin  breeches,  good  strong  pigskin  gaiters, 
good  In-OAAm  leather-laced  A^alking  boots,  a  dozen 
flannel  shirts,  "  a  couple  of  Norfolk  jackets,"  an 
Inverness  cape  of  warm  material,  three  or  four 
large  thick  rugs,  and  a  Terai  hat,  are  all  that  can 


Equipment  for  a  Hunting  Expedition.  217 

be  required  in  the  way  of  clothes  in  this  part  of 
the  AYorld.  But  the  very  greatest  care  should  he 
taken  in  ordering  and  fitting  on  all  these  things 
Ijefore  leaving  London  if  inconvenience,  vexation, 
and  worry  is  to  be  avoided.  As  for  armament, 
1  would  suggest  a  couple  of  douljle-l)arrelled 
express  breech-loading  rifles,  with  reboiniding 
locks,  '500  bore,  and  about  a  thousand  rounds 
of  ammunition.  Solid  bullets  are  greatly  to 
be  preferred  to  expanding  bullets.  The  latter, 
indeed,  in  my  opinion,  are  not  safe  to  use  in  a 
country  where  at  any  moment  a  lion  oi-  a  leopard 
may  be  met  Avith,  as  they  are  so  extremely  uncer- 
tain in  their  eifect  upon  the  animal  struck  by 
them.  I  have  seen  them  kill  a  buck  on  the  spot, 
breaking  up  almost  the  whole  of  his  inside.  I 
have  seen  them  j)ierce  the  fore  or  hind  legs  of  a 
— "Hbuck,  inflicting  a  trifling  wound,  and  I  have  seen 
them  smash  up  on  the  surface  of  the  skin,  causing 
a  frightful  wound  in  appearance,  but  no  immediate 
or  necessarily  fatal  injury.  Hans  Lee,  a  high 
authority  and  flne  marksman,  Avill  hear  of  nothing 
but  the  solid  bullet.  In  addition  to  these  rifles,  a 
couple  of  smooth  bores  for  feathered  game,  with 
unchoked  barrels,  so  that  ball  cartridges  may  be 
flred  from  them,  half-a-dozen  Martini-Henry  rifles 
for  the  boys  of  the  camp  will  complete  the  out- 
flt  in  respect  of  Aveapons  of  oftence.  Hatchets, 
knives,  saAvs,  and  any  tools  should  he  bought  in 
Einiiand  of  the  best  makers.  Li  the  matter  of 
provisions  much  can  be  obtained  and  of  good 
quality  at    Cape   ToAvn,   or  at    Kimberley,   or  at 


2i8   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

Johannesburg.  Ten,  coffee,  bacon,  hams,  any 
wine  or  Hqueurs  should  be  brought  out  from  home, 
I  would  strongly  recommend  that  the  hunter 
should  provide  himself  with  some  champagne. 
After  a  Ion"-  da^''s  huntino-  in  a  hot  sun  this  Avine 
is  the  most  refreshino-  and  restorino-  of  all  alcoholic 
leverages.  So  equipped,  the  fortunate  and  perse- 
vering sportsman  will  pass  many  delightful  hours 
land  memorable  thiys.  Hunting  during  a  period  of 
some  "^veeks  or  montlis,  he  ^vdll  probably  come 
across  giraffe,  hippopotami,  ostrich,  eland,  sable 
antelope,  roan  antelope,  koodoo,  wildebeest,  harte- 
beest,  waterbuck,  quaggM,  ^vhicli  latter  it  is  almost 
a  sin  to  shoot,  many  kinds  of  small  buck,  wild  pig, 
hyena,  and  jackal.  I  was  hunting  too  short  a  time 
to  meet  with  all  these  animals,  and  was  not  for- 
tunate enough  to  see  either  giraffe,  hippopotami, 
ostrich,  eland,  or  wildebeest.  But  the  sjjoor  of  all 
these  animals,  with  the  exception  of  the  sea  cow, 
I  saw  in  quantities,  often  quite  fresh, 

I  left  Fort  Salisbury  at  9  a.m,  on  the  lUth 
August,  and  trekked  in  the  mule  Avaggon  as  far  as 
the  Hunyani  River,  which  was  reached  at  9  a.m. 
There  we  outspanned.  A  bath  and  l^rcakfast  oc- 
cupied the  morning.  Sir  John  Willoughby 
arrived  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  mounted 
on  a  sturdy  and  well-bred  grey  pony,  which  had 
been  lent  him  by  Dr.  Jamieson.  Mr.  Borrow,  of 
the  firm  of  Johnson,  Heaney,  and  Borrow,  had 
most  kindly  lent  me  two  excellent  shooting  horses, 
both  "salted,"'  for  myself  and  Lee.  I  found  that 
it  Avould   not  be  possible  to  ride   better  animals. 


Hunting  the  Hartebeest.  219 


At  three  o'clock  we  went  out  hunting  down  the 
course  of  the  Hunyani  River  within  about  three 
or  four  miles  of  it.  The  country  here  is  fiat,  the 
bush  open  ;  wide  grassy  plains  separated  by  groves 
and  belts  of  trees  succeed  each  other.  After  some 
time  Lee  descried  a  solitary  hartebeest  grazing. 
Sir  John  Willoughby  stalked  this  l^uck,  but  could 
get  no  nearer  than  two  hundred  and  hfty  yards. 
He  fired  two  barrels,  and,  as  I  thought,  hit  the 
hartebeest,  who  circled  wildly  round  and  scampered 
off,  I  galloped  after  him  as  he  made  for  the  bush, 
and  pursued  him  for  neai'ly  two  miles,  always 
hoping  to  get  within  range  in  some  open  space. 
But  he  always  kept  a  distance  between  us  of  three 
or  four  hundred  yards  and  stuck  carefully  to  the 
trees,  bush,  and  high  grass,  so  that  it  was  difficult 
to  keep  him  in  view,  and  useless  to  dismount  and 
fire.  These  hartebeest  are  despairing  animals  to 
chase.  They  appear  to  be  cantering  along  slowly, 
never  exerting  themselves,  but  it  requires  a  horse 
of  great  galloping  power  to  overtake  them.  Their 
endurance  is  equal  to  their  speed  ;  it  is  hopeless 
work  to  try  and  ride  them  down.  They  have  a 
wild,  weird  look,  and  ai-e  the  least  attractive  of 
all  the  antelope.  In  size  they  are  similar  to  the 
smaller  red  deer  of  the  East  Coast  of  Scotland.  A 
whole  herd  of  them  when  chased  sometimes  sret 
confused,  gallop  wildly  about,  stop  to  look  round, 
and  scatter,  oivino;  se^'eral  o'ood  shots  to  the 
pursuer ;  but  a  solitary  one  rarely  stops  or  stays, 
he  goes  right  away,  straight  on  end.  Finding  my 
horse  was  oettino-  blown,  and  that  the   bush  g'ot 


220  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

thicker,  I  desisted  from  the  chase,  firing  a  parting 
but  useless  shot.  My  companions  soon  rejoined 
me,  guided  by  the  report  of  my  rifle.  We  con- 
tinued our  ride  without  seeing  any  more  game. 
Close  by  the  camp,  returning  home,  Lee  got  a 
shot  at  and  killed  a  "  duiker,"  a  small  antelope. 
This  little  beast  came  in  useful,  as  we  had  no  fresh 
meat,  with  the  exception  of  a  sheep  which  had 
been  purchased  at  Fort  Salisbury,  and  which 
turned  out  to  be  such  a  wretched,  poor  animal  that 
it  was  handed  over  to  the  natives  who  accompanied 
us.  These  buck,  big  and  little,  are  all  excellent 
eating.  They  are  never  fat  like  the  park  deer  of 
England,  or  the  forest  stag  in  Scotland,  but  their 
meat  when  kept  for  a  day  or  two  is  tender  and 
good.  The  tongue,  liver,  and  kidneys  are,  in 
truth,  delicacies.  I^othing  can  be  more  plain  and 
simple  than  the  necessary  cooking.  A  good  heap 
of  hot  ashes,  a  couple  of  baking  pans,  a  little  fat, 
either  bacon  or  butter,  lots  of  pepper  and  salt,  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  s  jDatience,  and  the  best  dinner 
Avhich  can  be  eaten  awaits  the  slayer  of  the  African 
buck.  Roan  antelope  venison  I  have  found  to  l^e 
most  meritorious,  but  Lee  informed  me  that  eland 
is  superior,  and  that  giraffe  venison  far  exceeds 
either.  Xor  must  I  omit  to  mention  the  marrow 
bones  of  the  antelope.  Again,  the  cooking  is  of 
the  simplest  character.  The  thigh  bones,  stripped 
of  meat,  are  thrown  upon  hot  ashes  and  covered 
with  them.  In  ten  minutes  they  are  ready  ;  a 
hatcliet  or  a  stone  serves  to  break  the  end  of  the 
bone,  and  such  marrow  is  poured  out  on  the  j^late 


A  Slough  of  Despond.  221 

as  no  one  in  London  ever  dreamed  of.     A  lucky 
hunter  in  Africa  need  never  wait  for  his  dinner, 
and  cannot  compkin  of  it.     Early  on  the  follow- 
ing morning  we  trekked  toAvards  "  Beale's  Camp," 
a  locality  to  which  we  had  been  directed,  and  where 
we  were  informed  there  was  much  game.     This 
spot  lies    on    the    Umfuli   River,   about  eighteen 
miles  south  of  the  Hunyani,  between  that  point  of 
the  Umfuli  which  is  traxoi-sed  by  the  main  road  to 
Fort  Victoria  and  that  point  which  is  traversed  by 
the  road  to  Hartley  Hill.     Shortly  after  starting 
we  got  badly  stuck  in  swampy  ground.     Spades 
were  used  fi-eely  to  extricate  the  wheels  buried 
over  their  axles,  two  horses  were  inspanned,  but 
to  no  purpose.     There  Avas  nothing  for  it  but  to 
"  off  load,"  a  most  tedious  and    tiring    business. 
Four  thousand  pounds  weight  of  load  was  taken 
off  the  waggon.     We  were  only  eight  in  number 
all  told,  and  a  lot  of  time  was  consumed.     Even 
then,  with  the  waggon  thus  lightened,  it  was  all 
the  mules  and  horses  could  do  to  drag  it  out  of  and 
across  the  swamp  to  firmer  ground.     Now  all  the 
mass  of  things  "  off  loaded  "  have  to  be  carried  by 
us  some  three  or  four  hundred  yards  and  replaced 
on  the  wao'p;on.     A  real  bad  business  this.     It  was 
my  first  experience  of  a  genuine  African  stickfast. 
At  one  moment  it  seemed  as  if  we  might  have  to 
remain  in  this   swamp  for  days,  until  a  team  of 
oxen  could  be  procured,  and  as  if  our  hunting  trip 
would  be  l^rought  to  a  premature  and  undignified 
end.     After   this  we    proceeded    without    mishap 
along  a  waggon  spoor  for  about  ten  miles  to  a 


222  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

shady  o-rove,  overhana'ing  a,  small  rocky  river, 
which  a]:»|)eared  to  offer  an  attractive  position  for 
a  camp.  Here  ^ve  outspanned  at  midday.  A 
kraal  was  soon  constructed  of  luish  and  branches 
for  ourselves,  and  another  for  the  mules  and  horses. 
In  the  afternoon  we  started  out  liuntino*.  Again 
we  came  upon  a  solitary  hartebeest  bull.  I  got  a 
o'ood  shot  at  this  felloA^-.  as  he  A^as  facins:  me  about 
one  hundred  vards  off,  but  did  not  hit  him.  Sir 
John  Willoughliv  and  Lee  galloped  after  him,  but 
failed  to  secure  him.  Soon  after  a  sable  antelope 
bull  was  seen  a  long  way  off.  Getting  oft'  my 
horse,  I  crawled  to  an  ant-hill,  on  looking  over  the 
summit  of  which  I  perceived  mv  friend  at  least 
three  hundred  vards  awav.  There  was  no  o-ettino- 
nearer  to  him,  so,  resting  my  rifle  on  the  ground, 
I  fired.  He  also  was  lacing  me,  and  offered  but  a 
small  mark.  Alas  !  my  bullet  Avent  but  a  very  few 
inches  to  the  right  of  him,  and  he  scamiDcred  off, 
hotly  pursued  by  my  companions,  who  got  four 
shots  at  him.  Lee  brought  him  doA\ii.  He  was  a 
fine  old  bull,  with  good  horns.  It  was  now  dusk, 
and  having  "  gralloched  ""  the  antelope  and  covered 
him  with  long  grass  and  branches  to  preserve  him 
for  a  time  from  the  A'ultures  and  jackals,  ^XQ  re- 
turned to  our  camp.  .Vt  davlu-eak  we  started  off 
again  in  the  same  direction  as  on  the  previous 
evening.  Soon  we  came  upon  a  herd  of  about  a 
dozen  hartebeest,  and  had  a  right  good  chase  over 
two  miles  or  more  of  varied  country.  Each  of  us 
got  four  or  five  shots.  Lee,  as  usual,  killed  one,  a 
cow  ;  Sir  John  Willoughby  and  I  wounded   one 


An  Antelope  leads  me  a  Dance.         223 

apiece.  I  saw  my  antelope  separate  himself  from 
the  herd  and  make  off,  and  galloped  after  him. 
He  led  me  a  fine  dance,  and  never  gave  me  but 
one  opportunity  of  getting  near  him,  Avhich  I  was 
too  slow  to  take  ad\'antage  of.  xVfter  a  two  miles' 
gallop  I  pulled  up,  wondering  what  had  Ijecome  of 
my  companions,  and  where  I  ^vas.  In  about  half 
an  hour  I  heard  a  shot,  and  going  in  that  direction 
found  Lee  anxiously  looking  for  me.  In  a  chase 
of  this  kind  it  is  ^'ery  easy  for  the  inexperienced  to 
lose  himself  on  the  veldt.  All  landmarks  get  lost ; 
the  direction  of  the  wind,  the  position  of  the  sun, 
give  little  assistance  when  one  has  been  galloping 
hard  for  some  distance.  I  found  that  all  our 
galloping  and  shooting  had  only  resulted  in  the 
death  of  one  hartebeest.  It  is  "w^onderful  and  vex- 
atious in  the  chase  to  see  how  close  rifle  bullets  can 
go  without  hitting  the  animal  fired  at,  and  also 
how  often  the  animal  may  be  hit  without  fatal 
effect.  After  this  we  rode  on  for  two  hours  Avith- 
out  seeing  any  game,  and  were  getting  near  oiu' 
camp  about  midday  Avhen  we  observed  standing  in 
a  grove  a  fine  herd  of  fifteen  or  twenty  roan 
antelope.  These  magnificent  creatures  cantered 
ofl"',  but  soon  stopped  to  look  round,  giving  me  a 
capital  shot,  as  I  happened  to  be  in  front  of  the 
others.  I  fired  hot\i  barrels,  at  a  distance  of  some 
eighty  yards,  and  knocked  down  two.  One  im- 
mediately rose  again  and  made  ofi'.  The  uncertain 
expanding  bullet  had  smashed  up  on  the  surface, 
without  penetrating.  Lee  got  a  shot  at  this  felloAV 
and  knocked  him  over,  but  he  again  got  up  and  fol- 


224  Men,  Ml NTEs,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


lowed  the  herd.  We  now  thought  that  we  would 
o-et  a  good  chase,  for  we  had  followed  them  hard  for 
a  mile,  and  the  buck  were  getting  blown.  Unfortu- 
nately, they  made  for  a  spruit,  with  high  banks 
and  a  muddv  bottom,  and,  while  we  were  search- 
ino-  for  a  place  to  cross  the  stream,  escaped  awav 
out  of  our  sight.  Sir  John  Willoughby  wounded 
one  badly  as  the  herd  galloped  down  to  the  spruit, 
and  on  the  other  side  we  found  a  very  bloody 
spoor,  which  was  followed  up  for  some  distance 
fruitlessly.  Then,  returning  to  look  for  the  animal 
which  both  Lee  and  I  had  hit  so  hard,  we  found 
the  place  where  ho  had  fallen,  but  of  the  antelojDe 
not  a  sio-n.  Two  natives,  who  had  been  following 
us  at  a  distance  all  day,  came  up  and  promised  to 
spoor  the  wounded  beast,  and  to  bring  the  horns, 
which  were  very  fine,  into  camp.  This,  however, 
they  lulled  to  do.  I  think  if  Lee  had  himself 
spoored  the  animal  we  should  certainly  soon  have 
got  him ;  but  the  day  was  hot,  the  horses  tired, 
the  camp  near,  and  all  seemed  to  make  an  imme- 
diate dinner  necessary.  On  our  way  to  camp,  after 
covering  up  the  first  antelope  shot,  ^Ye  saw  more 
hartebeest,  l^ut  had  had  enough  of  chasing  for  that 
day. 

On  the  following  morning  we  moved  our  camp 
ten  miles  further  on  towards  the  locality  we  were 
aiming  at.  We  outspanned  under  a  large  and 
loftv  mao;undi  tree.  This  tree  has  at  this  season 
of  the  year  leaves  of  the  most  vivid  green,  con- 
trasting sharply  with  the  prevailing  Avinter  hues, 
and  gives  a  welcome  shade.     Daring  our  morning 


A  Native  Hunting  Party.  225 

trek  a  herd  of  liartebsast  wa^  seen,  from  the  wao-o-on, 
which  Sh'  John  Willoughby  pursued.  After  a 
long  chase  he  succeeded  in  killing  one  close  to  the 
spot  where  we  outspanned.  lsTow  there  were  in 
camp  four  dead  antelope,  and  much  "  bill-tong  " 
was  made.  Four  Mashona  had  made  a  little  hut 
close  by  our  camp,  and  gladly  assisted  in  cutting 
up  the  meat,  of  which  they  received  an  ample 
supply.  Little  native  hunting  parties  are  fre- 
quently met  with  in  this  veldt.  Two  or  three  in 
number,  with  one  wretched  old  musket  and  two  or 
three  charges  of  ammunition  in  common,  they 
rarely  kill  anything  themselves,  but  trust  to  find- 
ing the  dead  or  wounded  game  of  others,  or  to 
being  fed  by  some  hunting  party  such  cas  ours.  In 
default  of  these  resources  they  subsist  on  cater- 
pillars, which  are  found  in  large  quantities  on 
the  topmost  branches  of  certain  trees.  Towards 
evening  I  went  out  for  a  short  ride  with  Lee  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  camp.  We  got  no  shot,  making 
three  unsuccessful  attempts  to  stalk  successively  a 
fine  old  pauw  (bustard),  an  oribi  (sort  of  gazelle), 
and  two  hartebeest  cows.  Fresh  eland  spoor  were 
seen,  which  kindled  my  hopes  of  getting  a  chase 
after  this  fine  antelope  on  the  morrow.  ISText  day, 
accompanied  by  "  the  Baboon,"  we  hunted  in  the 
direction  of  the  Umfuli  River.  It  was  a  morning 
of  misfortune.  Both  Sir  John  Willoughby  and  I 
got  good  standing  shots  at  two  solitary  roan 
antelope  bulls,  and  both  missed  without  excuse. 
Lee  also  chased  and  fired  at,  without  result,  two 
koodoo    cows.     In    the    course    of  our    ride    we 

Q 


A_ 


226   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Aerica. 


arrived  at  "  Beale's   Camp."     This  is  a  cluster  of 
huts,  now  for  the  time  deserted,  situated  on  the 
slopes  descending  to  the  Umfuli,  which  here  flows 
through  a  spacious  plain.     Here  has  resided  for 
some  months  an  enterprising  sergeant  of  the  police 
force,  who  imagines  that  he  has  discovered  a  rich 
reef,  and  has  pegged  out  several  claims.     The  soil 
differs  from  the  surrounding  plain,  being  of  a  red 
sandstone,  and  the  output  of  quartz  was  distinct. 
Xone    of  us,    however,    Avere    able   to    form    any 
opinion  as  to  its  auriferous  qualities.     Agriculture 
and  cattle-grazing  in  this  neighbourhood  might  be 
successful.      Lee  and  I  again  tried  our  fortune  in 
the  afternoon  over  the  open  plain  extending  to  the 
north.     We  had  a  good  gallop   after  and  several 
shots  at  a  herd  of  hartebeest,  of  which  I  succeeded 
in    killing   one,     Lee    this    afternoon    shot   very 
badly.     He  carried  a  rifle  of  mine,  a  '577  single- 
barrel  Henry,  and  missed  shot  after  shot  at  com- 
paratively easy  distances,     lie  was  much  put  out, 
and  declared  that  the  rifle  was  a  bad  one  and  no 
use.     As  he  had  been  shooting  with  it  Avell  on 
previous  davs,    I  could    not  understand  how  the 
weapon    could   suddenly  have  become  worthless. 
()n  our  wav  back  to  camp  as  evening  was  setting 
in,  we  got  good  shots  at  two  roan  antelope,  which 
hardly  troubled    to    get    out   of  the  "svay.     They 
were  perfectly  right,  as  we  both  missed  easy  shots, 
and  Lee  was  more  than  ever  convinced  of  the  bad- 
ness of  the  rifle.     During  our  ride  I  found  a  nice 
little  stream  and  grove  aljout  four  miles  from  our 
camp,  all  round  which  place  was  much  fresh  spoor  I 


A  Dangerous  Visitor.  227 


of  game.  To  this  spot  I  determined  to  move  the 
camp  on  the  following  day.  While  we  were 
eno-a-o-ed  in  movino;  the  next  mornins",  Sir  John 
Willonghby  hnnted.  His  grey  pony  played  liim 
a  nasty  trick,  galloping  ofl'  after  he  liad  dismounted 
to  shoot  at  a  reit-]:)nck,  and  Sir  John  had  to  come 
into  camp  on  foot.  One  of  the  grooms  was  sent 
out  in  vain  to  look  for  the  pony,  and  '"  the 
Baboon's"  spooring  skill  had  to  be  called  upon  to 
find  the  lost  animal.  He  found  and  brought  him 
into  the  camp  late  in  the  afternoon.  With  the 
best-trained  and  most  certain  horse  it  is  most  un- 
wise to  neglect  the  precaution  of  attaching  the 
bridle  to  your  waist  by  a  string.  If  all  alone  on 
the  veldt,  the  loss  of  your  horse  might  be  attended 
by  the  most  disagreeable  and  even  serious  conse- 
rpiences.  While  we  were  outspanning  this  morn- 
ing my  servant  observed  a  large  snake  close  to  the 
waggon.  I  quickly  got  my  gun  and  shot  it  A\diile 
it  was  wrio'o-lino;  off  into  some  bush,  AVhen 
examined  Lee  pronounced  it  to  be  a  col^ra  of  con- 
siderable size.  The  l)ite  of  this  snake  is  very 
rapidly  fatal  to  man  or  beast.  The  snake  measured 
4  ft.  6  in,  in  length,  and  was  in  thickness  equal  to 
about  three  fingers.  Broad  stripes  of  dull  yellow 
and  grey  marked  the  body,  Lee  said  it  was  a 
very  rare  occurrence  to  meet  with  this  snake.  In 
the  afternoon  I  took  the  '511  rifle  and  had  a  long 
I'ide,  but  no  shot.  Sir  John  Willoughby  hunted 
towards  the  Umfuli  by  himself,  and  shot  a  roan 
antelope  bidl,  not  returning  to  camp  till  after 
dark.     Next  day  he  went  oft'  with  ''  the  Baboon  " 

Q  2 


228  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


to  find  and  hving  in  the  roan  antelope,  and  I  rode 

with  Lee  in  an  opposite  direction.     AYe  proceeded 

for  hours,  passing  at  times  through  a  most  lovely 

land.     Groves  and  bush  of  every  variety,  adorned 

with  every  hue  of  summer,  autumn,  spring,  and 

winter ;  glades  covered  with  tlie  greenest  grass, 

o-rowino-  thick  and   short    from  the  roots  of  the 

herbao-e  which  liad  been  Ijumed  some  weeks  pre- 

viously,  presented  an  ideal   of  forest  scenery  such 

as   I  would  have  hardly  imagined  even    Nature 

herself    could    have    composed    on    this    planet. 

Nothing  was    wanted    save    numerous   herds    of 

buck.     Not  a  living  creature  did  we  see  till  noon. 

Then  Lee   fired   at   a   rcit-buck   a  long  way  off, 

which  galloped    away.     The    report    of   the  shot 

brought  out  of  a  plantation  three  roan  antelope, 

Avhich  stood   looking  at   us    about   two  hundred 

yards    away.     I    dismounted,    fired,    and    away 

they  went.     Galloping  as  hard  as  I  could  over  an 

open  space,  I  got  within  a  hundred  3^ards,  jumped 

off,  and  fired  again.     This  was  a  lucky  bullet.     It 

struck  one  of  the    antelope    in   the    thigh.     This 

antelope    separated    himself  from  the  two  others 

and  I  made  after  him.     He   could  not  get  away 

from    me,    and    I    soon    got    another   shot   which 

finished  him.     Lee  galloped  after  the  two  others 

and  shot  them  both.     They  Avere  all  three  fine  fat 

cows,  with  nice  heads.     We  had  now  hard  work 

for  about  two  hours,  cleaning  and  covering  up  the 

three  antelopes  Avhich  lay  on  the  plain  more  than 

a  mile  apart.     Long  grass  and  branches  had  to  be 

cut  and  fetched  from  a   distance,  and  before  we 


Scaring  the  Vultures.  229 

liad  finished  our  attentions  to  the  first  the  vultures 
had  settled  Ijy  scores  on  the  other  two  buck.  We 
saved  these,  however,  before  much  hann  had  l^ceu 
done.  Vultures  and  jnckals  will  not  ^'enture,  foi" 
hours,  to  approach  dead  game  well  covered  up 
with  grass  and  branches,  tearing  a  trap.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  tie  a  pocket-handkerchief  to  a  stick 
over  the  heap  and  leave  it  fluttering  in  the  wind. 
We  reached  camp  al)out  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, after  a  tiring  but  satisfactory  morning's  work. 
"TheBaboon"  was  immediately  despatched  with  the 
mule  driver,  the  two  savages,  and  ten  mules  to  find 
andbrino'in  the  three  dead  buck.  He  is  unerrino- 
in  finding  dead  game  on  the  veldt.  Guided  only 
liy  the  vaguest  directions,  he  follows  the  spoor  of 
the  hunter's  horse,  it  may  be,  for  miles,  till  he 
arrives  at  the  locality.  When  only  one  buck  has 
to  be  brought  in  he  takes  Avith  him  two  horses  or 
donkeys.  The  animal  is  half  skinned  ;  half  the 
l^ody,  divided  lengthways,  with  the  head,  is  placed 
on  one  horse ;  the  other  half,  with  the  skin,  on  the 
other.  On  this  occasion,  when  it  was  a  question  of 
tliree  large  buck,  it  was  necessarv  to  send  a  team 
of  mules,  and  to  construct,  where  the  game  lay,  a 
timber  sledge  on  which  to  place  the  bodies.  ''  The 
Baboon  "  and  his  cortege  started  oft'  about  three  in 
the  afternoon,  and  I  hoped  that  he  would  have 
returned  to  camp  before  night.  He  had  some  five 
miles  to  travel  to  the  buck.  For  once  "  the 
Baboon's"  skill  somewhat  failed  him.  Thinkino-to 
make  a  short  cut,  he  neglected  to  follow  our  spoor, 
and,  misled  b)-  a  white  fing,  which  some  prospec- 


230  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  Sol'th  Africa. 


tor  probably  bad  set  up  on  a  mound,  and  wbicb  be 
tbouofbt  was    our  mark,  did  not  fiud  tbe  bodies 
of    tbe    antelope    tbat    evening.       He    and     bis 
party  bad  to   pass   a  disagreeable   niglit    on   tbe 
^'eldt  Avitbout    food    or  water.     I  was    somewbat 
anxious    about    tbem,     and    also    feared    for   tbe 
mules.      Towards    evening  a   messenger    arrived 
from  Fort  Salisbury  witb  letters  for  me  and  for 
Sir  Jobn  AYillougbby.     He  bad  cleverly  followed 
tlie  windings  of  our  waggon  spoor,  separating  it  from 
old  tracks.     My  letter  brougbt  me  bad  news  of  my 
waggons.     Tbey  bad  come  to  a  standstill  between 
Fort  Victoria  and  Fort  Cbarter  in  tbat  bopeless 
sandy  jDlain  wbicli  I  wrote  about  in  a  former  cbap- 
ter,  and  tbe  oxen,  exbausted  by  tbe  beavy  roads 
and  derivino;  no  nourisbment  on  tbe  wide  tracts  of 
burnt  grass  or  from  tbe  "  sour  veldt,"  were,  I  was 
informed  by  Mr.  Edgell,  totally  unable  to  proceed 
witb  tlieir  loads.     Furtber,  IMajor  Giles  bad  broken 
bis  collar-bone  wbile  ridino-  a  burdle  race  at  Fort 
Victoria,  and  bad  bad  to  be  sent  back  to  tbe  Fort. 
Tbis  was  a  bad  lousiness,  but  not  altogetber  un- 
expected by  me.     Wlien  I  saw  wbat  sort  of  countrv 
it  was  wbicb  bad  to  1)e  traversed,   I  entertained 
misgivings  as  to  wbetber  any  waggons  would  ever 
get  across  it  witbout  mucb  delay  and  mucb  loss. 
I  bad  passed,  moreover,  many  troops  of  waggons 
utterly  unable  to  proceed.     Mr.  Edgell  begged  me 
to  send  down  to  bim  from  Fort   Salisbury  some 
fresb  spans  of  oxen.     Little  did  be  know  wbat  sort 
of  place  Fort  Salisbury  was.     Fresb  oxen  in  good! 
condition  could  not  be  obtained  for  love  or  money. 


A  Land  of  Famine.  231 

Every  one  was  ^ya.nti^o•  them,  no  one  had  gc^t 
them.  Even  mealies,  good  supplies  of  which  are 
essential  for  horses  and  mules,  if  these  are  to  do 
work,  could  not  he  ohtained  except  in  scanty  quan- 
tities, with  nuich  difficulty  and  at  great  prices.  I 
was  asked  for  a  sack  of  mealies,  200  lb.  in  weight, 
ol.  lOy.  There  had  been  no  oro-anization  in  this 
country  during  the  past  season  for  collecting  sup- 
plies of  grain  or  food.  A  little  care,  forethought, 
and  enero'v  exercised  since  the  close  of  the  rainy 
season,  would  have  collected,  stored,  and  economized 
great  quantities  of  forage  and  of  food  at  the  forts 
and  at  the  various  post  stations  ;  l^ut  nothing  had 
been  done,  and  the  Company  itself,  for  the  feeding 
of  many  animals,  depended  upon  the  uncertain  and 
precarious  arrival  of  a  waggon  now  and  then  bear- 
in  o;  a  few  sacks  of  i>:rain. 

Nothing  can  be  more  serious  than  this  state 
of  things  in  a  country  where  locomotion  depends 
upon  the  health  and  strength  of  your  animals, 
and  where  the  health  and  strength  of  your 
animals  depend  upon  abmidant  and  regular 
supplies  of  food.  The  grass  over  miles  and  miles 
of  country  had  been  burnt ;  nightly  conflagrations 
of  grass  and  IdusIi  brilliantly  illuminate  the  horizon 
in  all  directions,  and  day  after  day  the  oxen  had 
to  travel  further  and  further  afield  in  search  even  of 
the  "  sour  veldt  "  which  this  country  throughout 
its  whole  length  and  breadth  alone  produces.  I 
did  not  expect  to  be  able  to  send  much  assistance 
to  my  belated  waggons,  but  determined  to  give  up 
shooting   and   return  to   Fort  Salisbury  by  easy 


232   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa.       ; 


stages.  Slow  travelling  was  forced  upon  me,  as  I 
was  without  mealies  for  the  mules.  Sir  John 
Willoughby  left  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  to 
return  to  Fort  Salisbury,  in  order  to  superintend 
the  completion  of  his  preparations  for  his  expedi- 
tion to  Zumbo,  on  the  Zambesi.  "  The  Baboon," 
with  the  three  roan  antelope,  did  not  reach  our 
camp  till  long  after  noon.  These  fine  buck  lying 
confusedly  on  the  rough  sledge,  "  the  Baboon,"  the 
naked  savages,  and  the  mules,  amid  the  camp 
and  forest  surroundings,  suggested  a  good  sub- 
ject for  a  sketch.  Skinning,  cpiartering,  and 
cutting  up  the  meat  into  strijDS  for  bill-tong  noAv 
occupied  all  hands.  Order  and  some  degree  of 
cleanliness  at  length  restored,  Lee  and  I  rode  out 
for  a  hunt.  We  soon  started  and  chased  a  herd  of 
hartebeest,  one  of  wliicli  Icll  to  Lee's  rifle.  Lee 
had  been  shooting  to-day  and  the  day  before  witli 
a  rifle  lent  him  by  Sir  John  Willoughby,  and  re- 
gained his  usual  accuracy  of  aim.  I  was  unfortu- 
nate again  in  wounding  another,  which  escaped, 
though  Ave  followed  for  some  distance  his  tracks. 
Xext  morning  the  "  boys  "  were  directed  to  take 
the  mule-waggon  Ijack  to  the  camp  we  had 
originally  occupied,  some  nine  miles  from  the 
Hunyani  RiAcr.  Lee  and  I  mounted  our  horses  to 
make  a  wide  circuit  to  the  same  place.  A  long- 
ride  we  had,  from  6  a.m.  to  middav,  seeing  nothino; 
in  the  way  of  game  save  three  wild  pigs,  which 
we  endeavoured,  without  success,  to  stalk.  On 
reaching  our  camp  we  found  that  the  waggons  had 
arrived   without    misha]),    and    in    the    al'terncon 


Back  to  Fort  Salisbury.  233 

again  rode  out.  Five  koodoo  cows  were  all  we 
saw,  and  these  we  did  not  care  to  pursue.  The 
game  in  this  country  nuist  Iiave  been  recently 
much  disturlx'd  Ijy  hunting  parties.  It  was  a 
great  disappointment  not  seeing  any  elands,  as  1 
had  been  assured  they  were  plentiful.  The 
Avild,  saMifre-lookino;,  but  harmless  wildebeest  I  was 
most  anxious  to  see  and  shoot,  but  could  not  come 
across  any.  The  hunter  soon  tires  of  the  perpetual 
hartebeest,  and  even  roan  antelope  pall  upon  one 
after  a  time.  At  dawn  next  day  we  trekked  to 
the  Hunyani  River,  avoiding,  by  a  long  detour, 
the  swamp  where  we  had  stuck  so  Ijadly  some  days 
before.  On  this  river,  at  the  outspan,  I  met 
Captain  Co^'entry,  who  had  been  sent  by  ]\Iajor 
Giles  on  horseback  to  Fort  Salisbury  to  purchase 
two  spans  of  fresh  oxen.  These  he  had  succeeded 
in  obtaining  of  moderate  quality  and  at  a  high  price, 
ISl.  10s.  per  ox,  and  ^vas  on  his  way  back  with 
them  to  Fort  Charter,  wliei-e  he  hoped  to  find  the 
waggons.  He  had  had  and  still  had  before  him  a  long 
and  solitary  i-ide.  Also  here  1  found  ]\Ir.  Alfred 
Beit  on  his  way  from  the  ■Mazoe  River  to  Hartley 
Hill.  We  had  not  met  since  Tuli,  and  he  had  much 
of  interest  to  recount  concerning  the  various 
troubles,  losses,  and  misfortunes  which  had  beset 
his  travels  in  this  ver}'  odd  and  difficult  part  ol'  tlie 
world. 


234  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    GOLD    district    OF    THE    MAZOE    EIVEK. 

Ill  (juest  of  gold — Ex})loration  syndicates — Mashonaland  as  a 
field  for  emigration — The  Mazoe  gold-fields — Captain 
Williams's  report — Old  workings^ — ^The  "  Golden  Quarry  " 
mine — Other  mines  visited  in  the  district — More  disap- 
pointments. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning  I  rode  on  into  Fort 
Salisbury,  a  distance  of  fourteen  miles,  which  I 
covered  in  an  hour  and  a  half.  Here  I  found  that 
^Ir.  Henry  C.  Perkins  and  Captain  Williams  had 
returned  from  their  expedition  to  tlie  Mazoe  River, 
having  had  a  very  interesting  time  and  some  very 
rough  experiences  in  respect  of  food  and  shelter. 
They  brought  no  good  report  of  the  gold  dis- 
coveries in  the  Mazoe  district.  l\Ianv  mines  had  been 
visited  and  examined,  Init  nothing  very  promising 
seen.  The  reefs  appear  to  be  similar  in  character, 
long,  thin,  and  fairly  rich  (some  of  them)  on  the 
surface,  but  in  all  cases,  so  far  as  hitherto  Avorked, 
either  "  pinching  out "  to  nothing  at  a  depth  of 
from  t\veuty-fi\'e  to  fifty  feet,  or  degenerating  into 
(piartz  containing  little  gold.  Both  the  eminent 
experts,  Messrs.  i^erkins  and  Rolker,  were  of 
opinion  that  although  here  and  there  were  reefs  of 
comparati\ely  limited  extent  and  depth,  which 
might  yield  a  small  profit  to  the  small  individual 


In  Quest  of  Gold. 


235 


miner,  nothing  had  }^et  heen  discovered,  nor  did 
the  general  formation  encourage  much  hope  that 
there  Avoukl  lie  discovered  in  that  j)articuhir  dis- 
trict, any  reef  of  such  extent,  depth,  and  quality  as 
woukl  justifv  the  formation  of  a  svndicate  or  com- 


Mr.  Perkins. 


Mr.  Eolker. 


Visit  to  the  Mazoe  gold-fields.     Experts  at  work. 

pany,  and  a  large  expenditure  of  capital  to  pur- 
chase and  to  work  it.  This  opinion  had  become 
known  when  I  arrived  at  Fort  Salisbury,  and  some 
disappointment,  and  even  despondency,  prevailed. 
So  many  hopes  had  been  raised,  so  many  castles 


236   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  tn  South  Africa. 

built  on  the  strength   of  claims   pegged    out   on 
promising-looking  reefs,  of  selected  specimens  care- 
lessly or   ignorantly  tested,    of  reports    of   inex- 
perienced and  even  of  designing  jorospectors,  that 
there  could  not  Ijut  be  a  sharp  reaction.     I  was  of 
opinion  that,  at  any  rate,  it  was  a  great  thing  to 
know  that  there  was  no  gold  in  the   district  (at 
least  of  any  importance),  and  consoled  myself  with 
the  reflection  that  in  all  probability  Messrs.  Perkins 
and  Rolker  liad  saved  +he  British  puldic  some  con- 
siderable sums  of  money.     AVhat  I  have  seen  since 
I  commenced  my  travels  in  South  Africa  has  led 
me  to  the  conclusion  that  no  more  unwise  or  unsafe 
speculation  exists  than  the  investment  of  money  in 
exploration  syndicates.     There  are  many  of  these 
at  Avoi'k  here,  or  on  their  way  out,  and  most  of  those 
Avliich  have  come  under  mv  notice  have  liad  tlieir 
moneyfinely  wasted,  and  their  business  properly  mis- 
manau'ed.     Mainly   oAvino;  to    o-ood   foi'tune,  g'ood 
advice,  and  to  the  excellent  qualities  of  those  who 
are  conducting  my  expedition,  I  have  some  antici- 
})ation  of  escaping  from  this  country  without  any 
appreciable  loss  of  capital ;  but  there  are  several 
shareholders  at  home  in  exploration  syndicates  out 
here  who  will  hardly  see  again  a  sixpence  of  their 
money.     It  is,  however,  far  too  soon  to  give  any 
opinion   as    to    the    possible    gold    production    of 
Mashonaland.     All  hopes  are  now  centred  in  the 
Hartley  Hill  district,  and  on  the  Manica  temtory, 
both  of  which  I  hope  to  be  able  to  visit.     Reports 
I'rom  the  former  district  are  bright  and  alluring, 
and  even  those  prospectors  and  speculators  who 


Mashonaland  as  a  Field  for  Emigration.  237 


nf;knowle(l_uT'.  tlic  failin'o  of  tlio  Mazoo  o'old  rpofs, 
(loclai'o  confidently  tliat  tliey  ncxci-  for  a  moment 
placed  those  reefs  on  an  equalit}'  ^vitli  the  reefs  of 
Hartley  Hill.  Soon  we  shall  be  more  perfectly  in- 
formed, for  tlie  mining  experts  proceed  innne- 
diately  to  this  latter  locality.  Even  if  disappoint- 
ment again  awaits  11s,  there  is  still  Manica  to  fall 
hack  ujDon,  of  which  territory,  for  reasons  which  I 
cannot  precisely  define,  I  pei-sonall}-  entertain  great 
hopes.  Still,  the  non-discovery  of  alluvial  deposits, 
the  historic  certainty  of  the  existence  of  those 
deposits  in  the  past,  the  quantity  of  old  workings, 
all  reaching  to  a-  particular  depth  and  then  aban- 
doned, do  suggest  disagreeable  doubts  as  to 
whether  the  people  of  old  days  have  not  cleared  the 
country  of  its  gold  wealth. 

Nor    can    I    as    yet    escape    from    the    opinion 
that,    as    a   field  for    emigration,  Mashonaland    is 
a  disappointment.     The    climate,   fine  in    Avinter, 
but    in     very    many   parts    quite    unhealthy    for 
Europeans    in     summer ;      the    torrential     rains 
of    January     and    February,    during     Avliich     all 
work   has    to    be    suspended   and    roads    become 
impassable  ;     the    prevalent     malarial   fcA'er,     the 
various  animal  pestilences,  and  apparent  general 
absence  of  rich    deep    soil,  such    as    distinguishes 
the    Transvaal,     seem    to    offer     invincible     ob- 
stacles   to    large    settlements    of    Avhite     peoj^le. 
Naturally,  if  great  and  rich  gold    discoveries  are 
made,   those  settlements  will  come,   and  nature's 
obstacles  will  be  mitigated  and  conquered.     But 
in  the  absence  of  such  discoveries    I  cannot  yet 


238   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


l^erceive  that  Maslioiialantl  has  much  to  offer  to, 
much  to  attract  the  British  emigrant.  Here  at 
Fort  Sahsbury,  and  on  some  of  the  higli  vehlt,  a 
few  might  Hve  and  thrixe,  but  the  want  of  any 
laro-e  market  woukl  prevent  the  ^-aininu'  of  wenhli. 
I  have  been  hunting  over  a  ^vide  tract  of  country 
from  four  to  five  thousand  feet  a1)ove  the  level  of 
the  sea,  between  the  Upper  Umfuli  and  Hunyani 
Rivers,  very  beautiful,  and  fairly  dry  at  this  time 
uf  vear,  with  apparently  rich  soil.  It  Avas,  however, 
impossible  not  to  detect  from  many  signs  and  in- 
dications that  during  the  whole  of  the  rainy  season, 
lastinof  for  three  or  four  months,  this  wide  stretch 
of  country  is  nothing  but  a  vast  swamp,  in  all  like- 
lihood reeking  Avith  malaria.  It  is  quite  possible 
that  as  the  work  of  exploration  progresses  general 
conditions,  nuich  better  in  every  Avav,  may  be  ob- 
served and  noted.  For  the  present,  however,  it 
cannot  be  un-\vise  or  wrono-  to  check  the  formation 
of  hopes  too  high  as  to  the  value  of  this  most  recent 
acquisition  to  the  British  Fmpire,  or  of  plans  for  its 
development  too  large  and  rapid. 

I  append  some  extracts  from  the  report  of  Captain 
Williams  on  his  journey  to  the  Mazoe  River  gold 
district : — 

Report   by    Captain    G.  Williams   ox    Certain 

Mines. 

"  Early  on  the  morning  of  August  18th,  Mr. 
Perkins  and  myself  started  for  the  Mazoe  Gold- 
fields  with  six  indifferent  oxen  and  a  two-wheeled 


On  the  Way  to  the  Mazoe  Gold-fields.   239 


cart  containing  our  provisions,  blankets,  etc. 
About  midday  we  reached  tlie  Gweebi  River, 
Avhich  proved,  in  spite  of  its  insignificant  appear- 
ance, a  rather  formidable  obstacle  to  our  dejected- 
looking  team,  A^diich  seemed  quite  unable  to  make 
the  slight  effort  necessary  to  pull  us  out.  How- 
ever, by  completely  unloading  the  waggon  and 
dio-o'ino-  the  o-round  from  under  the  wheels,  we 
enabled  them  eventually  to  drag  themselves  to 
the  other  side,  and  "witliout  further  mishap  we 
reached  ]\lount  Hampden  at  nightfall,  and  were 
soon  afterwards  joined  bv  ^Ir.  Borrow  (of  the  firm 
of  Johnson,  Heaney,  and  Borrow).  He  had 
followed  us  in  a  Cape  cart  drawn  Ijy  salted  mules, 
having  very  kindly  consented  to  take  us  to  the 
best  claims,  and  generally  show  us  Avliat  was 
most  worth  examination.  Up  to  this  jiioint  the 
country  was  fiat,  treeless,  and  occasionally  marshy. 
Some  spoor  was  to  be  seen,  Ijut  no  game  was 
caught  sight  of  except  a  small  buck  and  some 
wild  turkeys,  although  we  met  a  party  of  pro- 
spectors, some  of  whom  iiad  just  shot  an  eland, 
while  the  others  were  still  out  in  pursuit  of  some 
ostrich.  We  got  under  weigh  next  morning  by 
moonlight,  about  5  a.m.,  and  outspanned  three 
"^  hours  afterwards  on  the  Tatag-ora  River,  whore 
Mr.  Perkins  had  an  opportunity  of  looking  at 
some  claims  on  a  neighbouring  kopje  which  had 
recently  been  purchased  by  the  firm  mentioned 
above.  The  hill  appeared  to  have  been  worked 
on  one  side  to  some  considerable  extent  by  the 
old  miners.     Several  shafts  have   been   cleared  of 


240  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

their  debris  nnd  opened  up,  Init  little  or  no  vein 
was  to  be  seen  in  any  except  one  recently  sunk  by 
the  present  prospector,  ^vho  had  struck  a  small 
'stringer'  of  quartz,  of  wliicli  Mr.  Perkins  took 
a  sample  and  found  it  to  l)e  of  a  very  low  grade. 
These  old  workings  are  of  a  \'ery  singular  and  per- 
sistent character  throughout  the  district,  con- 
sisting for  the  most  part  of  circular  shafts  varying 
in  depth  from  t^'enty  to  eighty  feet,  and  not 
more  than  thirty  to  thirty-six  inches  in  dia- 
meter, which  liave  been  sunk  at  all  sorts  of 
distances  apart,  in  many  cases  not  more  than  one 
foot,  and  in  others  as  much  as  fifty  or  a  hundred. 
No  outcrop  is  api^arent  at  the  surface,  and  nothing 
at  the  bottom  of  the  shafts  would  seem  to  suggest 
a  likelier  reason  for  the  stoppage  of  work  than 
the  gradual  deterioration  in  the  grade  and  size  of 
the  veins.  How  these  rich  spots  were  originally 
found,  and  why  the  shafts  were  so  irregularly  dis- 
posed, are  questions  of  which  no  one  has  as  yet  been 
able  to  suggest  a  satisfactory  solution.  That  they 
were  abandoned  in  haste  is  extremely  improbable, 
for  throughout  the  whole  of  this  district  only  two 
implements  have  been  found  left  in  the  bottom 
of  the  shafts,  in  one  case  a  rude  stone  chisel,  or 
jDick,  in  the  other  an  earthen  pot,  similar  in  shape, 
size,  and  material  to  those  in  use  by  the  natives 
at  the  present  day.  Any  attempt  to  judge  of  their 
age  must  be  the  merest  guess-work,  as  for  the 
most  part  they  might  be  anything  from  twenty  to 
one  hundi-ed  years,  and  although  in  a  few  cases 
it  is  true  that  trees  of  some   size   are  to  be  seen 


Old  Workinc;s.  241 


actually  growing  in  the  old  shafts,  they  are  of 
those  soft-wooded  and  quick-growing  varieties 
which  require  but  little  time  for  development. 
The  country  in  the  midst  ol'  which  we  now 
found  ourselves  ^vas  of  quite  a  different  character 
to  that  previously  traversed.  From  ]Mount  Hamp- 
den we  had  descended  some  500  feet  into  the 
valley  of  the  Mazoe,  and  wooded  hills  and  ridges, 
grassy  vleys,  and  clear  running  streams  surrounded 
us  on  every  side.  j^  ^^^^ 


''  Some  of  these  hills  afe  of  considerable  height, 
rising  to  as  much  as  1000  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  plain,  but  only  in  isolated  instances  was 
any  outcro})  of  sedimentary  rock  visible,  the 
greater  })ortion  of  them  consisting  of  granite, 
with  but  few  volcanic  intrusions.  Round  our 
outsjoan  several  native  kraals  could  be  seen 
perched  upon  the  neighbouring  crests,  and  I 
believe  it  is  not  yet  clearly  understood  whether 
they  select  these  steep  and  inconvenient  homes 
from  the  fear  of  MatalDele  raids  or  upon  the  score 
of  health.  I  am  rather  inclined  to  take  the  last 
supposition,  as  it  is  said  that  the  Matabele  have 
not  as  yet  penetrated  to  this  part  of  the  countrv, 
and  it  would  take  a  sharp  experience  to  teach  the 
indolent  ]\Iasliona  that  the  laziest  is  not  also  the 
best  course.  On  our  return  to  the  wao-o-on  we 
found  it  surrounded  by  these  natives,  who  had 
brought  mealies,  milk,  and  Kaffir  corn  to  barter 
with.  We  were  sadly  in  want  of  mealies  for  our 
horses,  as  we  had  found  great  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing them  at  Fort  Salisbury,  but  all  our  attempts 


242   Men,  Mikes,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

at  a  deal  ^vere  fruitless.     In  vain  ^Ye  oftered  calico 
or  limbo  in  exchange  for  their  wares,  in  vain  we 
tried   to    seduce    them   with  the   glittering    blue 
bead    or   the  empty    cartridge-case.     They    were 
not  to  be  moved.     It  seems  that  these  fastidious 
and  pampered  barbarians  have  become  nice  about 
the   colour   of  their    adornments,   and   will   take 
nothing  but  red  or  white  limbo   and    a  peculiar 
sort  of  bead   known   as  the   red- white-eye.     So, 
disappointed,  we  puslied  on    to  the    claims    next 
worthy  of  attention,  and   spent    an  hour  or  t^vo 
examinino-     a    shallow    shaft    and     nalT0^v    vein 
which  was  submitted  to  our  inspection.       From 
there  to  the  huts  of  the  minino'  commissioner  occu- 
pied  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  with    tlie    evening 
came  Mr.  A.  Beit  and  his  partv,  among  whom  Avas 
included  ^Ir.  Rolker,  the  mining  engineer  of  the 
Chartered    Coin2:)any.       On   the  following    day    a 
lovely  ride  of  about  seven  miles  took  us  all  to  visit 
the  "  YelloAv  Jacket '  mine,  the  j^roperty  of  Messrs. 
Johnson,  Heaney,  and  Borrow,  of  which  Mr.  Per- 
kins and  Mr.  Rolker  made  a  careful  examination. 
This  reef  extends  some    1500   feet  in  length,  and 
two  shafts  have  been  sunk  on  it.     Here  no  native 
workings   were    seen,    and    the    attention    of  the 
prospectors  was  arrested    b\^  the   outcrop    Avhich 
extended  for  some  distance  and  gave    very  rich 
pannings.     A   specimen    of  this    ore    which    was 
pounded  down  on  tlie  spot  for   us  gave  roughly 
about     60oz.    to    the    ton.      Unfortunately    the 
vein   decreases   lamentably  in    size    and   richness 
as  it  descends,  and  samples  taken  at  the  bottom 


The  "Golden  Quarry"  Mine.  243 

give  very  poor  results.  This  was  a,  great  disap- 
pointment, as  at  the  tojD  the  future  seemed  very 
promising  and  represented  a  mining  venture  with 
Avhicli  any  one  might  have  been  deceived.  While 
returning  to  camp  we  came  upon  about  twenty 
baboons  playing  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  some  of 
them  of  great  size,  but  they  were  too  shy  to  allow 
us  to  approacli  nearer  than  about  200  yards.  Mr. 
Beit  and  his  party  left  the  next  morning  for  Fort 
Salisbury,  while  ^Ir.  Perkins  and  myself,  under 
the  guidance  of  Mr.  Borrow,  started  on  horseback 
to  visit  a  series  of  properties  extending  to  a 
distance  of  about  forty  miles  from  the  jMining 
Commissioner's  camp,  determining  to  depend 
upon  what  hosj^itality  Ave  might  hnd  lor  shelter 
and  food.  AVe  saw  the  '  Jumbo  '  and  the  '  Golden 
Quarry,'  the  last-named  being  again  the  property 
of  the  enterprising  firm  before  alluded  to.  The 
former  had  but  little  to  reconnnend  it  as  far  as 
present  development  permitted  to  judge.  The 
latter  seems  to  be  a  large  burst  of  quartz  very  Avide 
on  the  top,  but,  like  all  the  rest,  rapidly  losing 
li'rade  and  thickness  as  a  loAver  level  is  reached. 
A  spot  of  very  rich  ore  Avas  found  on  the  out- 
crop, and  to  Avork  this  a  small  three-stamp  battery 
has  been  erected.  We  found  it  busily  pounding 
nearly  a  ton  a  day,  and  getting  very  fair  results, 
in  proof  of  which  a  basin  was  proudly  produced 
containing  about  fifty  ounces  of  amalgam,  and  re- 
presenting, I  suppose,  the  first  '  clean  up '  as  yet 
made  in  Mashonaland.  From  there  Ave  rode  on 
to  the  camp  of  Count  de  la  Panouse,   Avhere  we 

K  2 


244  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

were  very  hospitably  ^ecei^'ecl,  ;ind  passed  the 
night.  The  folloAving  day  a  ride  of  thirty  miles 
brought  us  to  another  eamp  of  this  syndicate, 
where  the  same  kind  reception  awaited  us ;  but, 
unfortunately,  no  realization  of  the  somewhat 
irlowinii'  accounts  we  liad  I'eceived  as  to  the 
valuable  prospects  of  this  property.  A  mass  of 
old  workings  surround  the  camp,  and  two  shafts 
have  been  sunk  some  considerable  depth,  but  at 
present  without  cutting  the  \ein  at  all,  so  nothing; 
remained  for  us  but  to  depart  the  next  morning 
on  our  long  but  l^eautiful  ride  homewards.  During 
the  journey  we  crossed  many  bright,  clear  little 
rivers ;  but  in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Perkins  there  is 
not  sufficient  fall  nor  enough  Avater  in  them  to 
justify  their  employment  for  anything  requiring 
the  generation  of  much  power.  The  general 
aspect  of  the  countr}'  is  the  same  here  as  was 
described  above,  but  the  timber  is  small,  and  of 
a  soft  quality,  unsuitable  generally  for  large 
lumber.  There  is,  however,  plenty  for  hrewood, 
small  mining  props,  and  so  Ibrth.  From  August 
26th  to  the  28tli  we  examined  the  property  of  the 
Exploration  Company  Syndicate,  which  is  large 
and  scattered.  The  reefs  throughout  presented 
the  same  character,  and  so  far  as  we  have  seen 
appear  uniformly  superficial,  extending  longitu- 
dinally for  considerable  distances,  but  '  pinching  ' 
out  and  losing  their  gold  as  depth  is  attained. 
The  shafts  which  the  i)rospectors  have  sunk  are 
principally  Acrtical,  and  as  little  drifting  work 
has    been    done    a   very     small    portion     of  the 


More  Disappointments.  245 

vein  is  exposed  in  each  case,  Avliicli  of  course 
makes  it  difficult  to  form  a  very  conclusive 
opinion.  Some  of  tlie  reefs  cany  gold  to  a  fair 
extent,  and  in  ^Ir.  Perkins'  opinion  it  would 
be  possible  to  make  them  pav  a  little  profit  I'tv 
small  individual  enterprise  ;  but  neither  the  extent 
of  the  reefs,  the  quality  of  the  ore,  nor  the  general 
formation  of  the  country,  so  far  at  least  as  judg- 
ment can  be  formed  on  what  has  been  seen,  could 
justifv  the  formation  of  large  London  companies 
for  their  further  de^'elopment." 


246  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

HUXTIXG    THE    ANTELOPE    OX    THE    HIGH    VELDT. 

We  start  for  Hartle}^  Hill — The  Mashonas  as  servants — Mar- 
riage in  Maslionaland — All  alone  on  the  Veldt — Hints  to 
hnnters  when  lost  on  the  Veldt — A  K'lffir  kraal — Barter 
with  the  natives — Dangerously  bad  shooting — The  troubles 
of  trekking — The  country  l)et\veen  Fort  Salisbury  and 
Hartley  Hill  —  Wild  flowers  and  fruit  —  Unsuccessful 
chase  after  ostriches — -A  fine  herd  of  eland — The  bull  of 
the  herd  falls  to  my  gun. 

The  record  of  iii)'  travels  continues  to  l)e  niainl}' 
occupied  witli  details  of  the  chase.  Saturday, 
Auo'ust  21)th,  and  the  followinij:  Sundav  and 
Mondav  were  busy  days  Avitli  all  of  us.  j\Iessrs. 
Perkins  and  Rolker  were  at  work  from  dawn  to 
dusk  panning,  assaying,  and  Aveighing  the  gold 
extracted  from  the  numerous  samples  of  rpiartz 
Avhich  they  had  l^rought  with  them  from  the  ^lazoe 
district  gold-fields  ;  while  Captain  A\  illiams  and  I 
had  our  time  taken  up  with  preparations  for  our 
journey  to  Hartley  Hill,  such  as  procuring  the 
indis]:»ensable  mealies  and  other  kinds  of  provi- 
sions, hiring  a  fresh  span  of  oxen  for  the  Scotch 
cart.  Two  roads  lead  from  Fort  Salisbury  to 
Hartley  Hill ;  the  lower  road,  said  to  be  about 
twenty  or  twenty-fi\'e  miles  the  sliorter  of  the  two, 
follows  the  main  route  to  the  south  as  far  as  the 
Hunyani  River,  after  crossing  which  it  branches  off 


We  start  for  Hartley  Hill.  247 

to  the  west,  traversing  some  swampy  and  difficult 
ground.  The  distance  by  this  road  to  Hartley 
Hill  is  computed  at  about  fifty-three  miles.  The 
upper  road,  which  I  calculate  to  be  nearly  seventy 
miles  in  length,  proceeds  first  nearly  north-west 
from  Fort  Salisbury,  afterwards  turning  to  the 
Avest  and  south,  and  this  road  also  crosses  in  parts 
swam23s  and  marshy  ground.  A  new  road  lying 
between  these  two  and  following  higher  levels  is 
noAv  in  course  of  construction  ;  when  completed, 
communication  between  these  two  important 
centres  ouo'ht  to  l^e  o-peatlv  facilitated.  It  may  be 
mentioned  that  in  the  rainy  season  the  two  existing 
roads  are  said  to  be  altogether  impassable  either 
for  the  lightest  vehicles  or  even  for  horses  alone. 
Our  arrano-ements  were  that  Messrs.  Perkins  and 
Rolker,  accompanied  by  Captain  Williams,  were 
to  proceed  as  quickly  as  possible  by  the  loAver  road, 
whereas  Hans  Lee  and  myself  preferred  to  follow 
the  upper  and  longer  route,  along  which  we  were 
assured  we  should  find  considerable  quantities 
of  o-ame.  I  left  Fort  Salisburv  in  the  mule  wao-o-on 
on  the  afternoon  of  August  olst,  having  made 
arrangements  during  the  course  of  the  da}^  with  a 
young  and  enterprising  auctioneer  for  the  sale  at 
Fort  Salisbury,  in  the  early  days  of  October,  of  the 
whole  plant  of  my  expedition.  This  will  be  an 
interestino;  sale  as  the  first  of  its  kind  which  has 
taken  place  in  the  country.  We  trekked  about 
seven  miles,  encamping  for  the  night  in  a  small 
grove.  One  of  the  three  natives  whom  I  mentioned 
in  a  former  letter  as  joining  us  on  our   departure 


248   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

from  Fort  Victoria  left  my  service  this  evening 
without  notice.  I  learnt  afterwards  that  another 
of  the  trio  who  had  remained  with  C'aptain 
Williams  also  bolted  the  same  evening.  These 
two  were  brothers,  and  had  evidently  made 
arrangements  to  depart  simultaneously.  They 
M^ere  Aery  foolish,  for  they  had  been  kindly  treated, 
well  fed,  and  their  work  had  been  light,  and  by 
bolting  thus  they  lost  the  l)lankets  which  they 
Avould  shortly  have  received  as  their  wages,  which 
are  so  dearly  prized  by  the  Mashona.  However, 
they  carried  off  with  them  some  clothes  ^'hich  Ave 
had  bought  for  them,  and  a  fair  quantity  of  "  bil- 
tong." All  opinions  concur  as  to  the  utter  A\'ortli- 
lessness  of  the  Mashona  as  labourers  or  as  servants. 
They  rarely  stay  more  than  a  fortnight  "with  any 
one  person,  and  almost  always  bolt  slioidd  any 
blankets  or  clothin"-  l)e  o-i\en  them.  One  of  the 
trio,  "  Tiriki "  b}-  name,  alone  remained  faithful. 
I  had  a  conversation  with  him  the  first  evening- 
out  fi-om  Fort  Salisbury,  Hans  Lee  acting  as  inter- 
preter. He  told  me  he  was  not  related  to  the  two 
defaulters,  and  that  he  Avas  rather  glad  they  had 
gone,  as  they  tAvo,  being  brothers,  had  conspired 
to  put  all  the  Avork  upon  him.  I  did  not  person- 
ally perceive  Iioav  their  departiu'c  Avould  lighten 
his  labours.  He  also  told  me  that  he  Avas  A-ery 
anxious  to  get  married,  as,  if  he  Avere  lucky,  his 
A\qfe  might  have  daughters  Avhoni  he  an'ouUI  be  able 
to  sell  in  exchange  for  goats.  It  seems  that  in 
j\Iaslionaland  boys  are  perfectl}'  Avorthless  articles. 
I  asked  him  Iioav  much  it  AVould  cost  to  bu)'  a  A^'ife, 


Marriage  in  Mashonaland.  249 

to  which  he  replied  that  to  buy  a  very  pi'etty  wife 
required  seven  things,  two  goats,  two  blankets, 
two  spades,  and  some  other  article  to  be  specified, 
according  to  the  taste  or  fancy  of  the  vendor. 
Tiriki  has  remained  with  me  till  now,  and  Avill.  I 
hope,  before  I  lea^'e  ^lashonaland,  be  in  a  position  to 
acquire  the  Avife  he  longs  for,  more  especially  as  he 
told  me  he  had  a  girl  in  his  eye  who  might  be  bought 
up  before  long  by  some  one  richer  than  himself. 

i\_t  dawn  the  next  morning  I  rode  out  Avith  Lee 
on  to  the  veldt,  having  instructed  our  bovs  to 
make  a  short  trek,  and  outspan  at  the  nearest 
water  and  shade.  We  rode  for  some  three  hours 
across  some  fine  open  veldt,  much  of  Avhich  was 
well  watered,  and  appeared  to  be  suital~)le  either 
for  grazing  or  for  tillage.  A  good  many  farms  have 
been  marked  out  in  this  neighbourhood,  and  some 
actually  occu])ied.  deserving  a  solitarv  kopje  in 
the  distance,  we  rode  towards  it,  and  from  the 
summit  searched  the  surrounding  plain  with  a 
telescope.  In  a  few  minutes  we  descried  a  herd  of 
about  a  dozen  hartel^eest,  and  about  half  a  mile 
further  to  the  north  a  nice  herd  of  roan  antelope, 
among  Avhich  was  to  be  ])erceived  a  fine  old  bull. 
These  latter  we  preferred  to  chase.  As  a  rule, 
these  large  antelope  allow  the  hunter  to  approach, 
esiDgciall}^  if  he  is  down  wind,  within  a  distance  of 
three  or  four  hundred  yards,  standing  looking  curi- 
ously at  him,  Thev  then  make  aAvay  at  a  slow 
pace  ;  you  canter  after  them  quietly,  increasing 
your  proxijnitv  to  them.  After  going  a  few  hun- 
dred yards   they  generally  stand  and  look  round 


250  Men,  Mines,  and  Animaes  in  South  Africa. 

ao-aiu.  Now  is  the  time  for  a  good  shot  if  you 
have  got,  as  you  ought  to  have  done,  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  them.  After  the  first  shot  they 
make  off  at  a  gallop,  and  the  hunter  must  ride  his 
horse  to  keep  up  with  them,  but  it  is  certainly 
better,  if  you  desire  to  kill  several  of  a  herd,  not 
to  press  them  too  closely,  contenting  yourself  with 
shootino;  from  time  to  time  at  a  somewhat  lono-er 
range,  and  at  the  same  time  not  exhausting  the 
powers  of  your  horse.  In  this  way,  under  the 
guidance  of  Lee,  I  have  several  times  chased  good 
herds  of  buck  for  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour, 
getting  manv  shots.  With  this  particular  herd 
the  old  ))ull  first  oftered  me  a  fair  chance,  l)ut  I 
missed  him;  he  galloped  ofl:';  with  my  second 
barrel  I  hit  hard  a  bio-  cow  with  fine  horns.  Seeino' 
she  was  badlv  Avounded  and  could  not  gallop  very 
far  or  fast,  I  made  after  her,  and  soon  finished  her 
with  another  bullet.  Lee  in  the  meantime  had 
galloped  after  the  herd,  and  had  laid  Ioav  a  nice 
young  bull,  which  later  turned  out  to  be  the  most 
excellent  eating.  Having  "  done  the  civil  "  (i.e. 
grallocked  and  covered  up  with  grass  and  branches) 
to  our  two  dead  buck,  we  turned  our  steps  towards 
the  road.  On  our  way  we  came  across  the  herd 
of  hartebeest  originally  seen  from  the  kopje  whicli 
had  been  but  slightly  disturbed  by  our  cliase  after 
the  roan  antelope.  I  got  a  longish  shot  at  one  of 
these,  and,  noticing  that  he  turned  away  from  the 
rest  of  the  herd,  galloped  after  him,  thinking  that 
I  had  Avounded  him.  I  was  soon  joined  in  the 
pursuit  by  Lee,  who   dismounted  and  fired  three 


All  alone  on  the  Veldt.  251 

pilots  without  effect.  I  continued  to  chase  the 
l)uck,  who  did  not  seem  to  be  able  to  get  very  far 
away  from  me.  He  held  c^n,  howeyer,  for  a  long 
distance,  sometimes  being  as  iar  away  as  fiye  or 
six  liunchTd  yards,  sometimes  allowing  me  to  come 
much  closer,  when  I  dismounted  and  fired.  With 
my  sixth  shot  I  hit  him  in  the  haunch,  and  re- 
mounting soon  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  pace 
get  slo^ver  and  slower  from  a  canter  into  a.  trot, 
from  a  trot  into  a  walk,  finall}"  sinking  on  to  the 
ground.  I  rode  up  to  him  and  otf-saddlcd  my 
panting  and  dripping  horse,  now  completely  blo^Ti 
by  a  gallop  of  upwards  of  three  miles  oyer  the  most 
varied  country,  through  swamp^^  ground,  groves  of 
trees  and  bush,  and  o^'er  rocky  koj^jes.  This  was 
the  first  hartebeest  I  had  managed  to  ride  dovra 
and  shoot  by  myself,  and  I  was  proportionately 
delighted.  I  found  myself  all  alone  on  the  veldt, 
I^ec  having  for  some  reason  or  other  discontinued 
the  chase.  While  I  was  engaged  in  opening  the 
buck  I  was  startled  by  a  voice  behind  me.  Look- 
ing round,  I  perceived  three  natives  with  the  usual 
amount  of  clothing  and  assegai.  Xot  knowing 
quite  what  the  intentions  of  these  barbarians  might 
be,  I  immediately,  with  very  dignified  and  lofty 
signs,  ordered  them  to  complete'the  disembowelling 
of  the  buck,  and  to  cut  l)ranches  and  grass  with 
which  to  cover  it  up.  This  they  most  meekly  did, 
upon  which  I  graciously  permitted  them  to  carry 
away  the  entrails.  I  ^vas  now  somewhat  in  a 
quandary,  not  knowing  where  I  was,  being  totally 
unable  to  discover  the  way  I  had  come,  and  Lee 


252   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


beino;  nowhere  in  sight.  However,  I  knew  the 
road  ran  west,  and  tliat  if  I  took  a  southerly  course 
I  must  soon  cut  it.  It  may  be  well  for  the  inex- 
l^erienced  in  the  chase  on  the  South  African  veldt 
to  remember  an  elementary  fact,  that  at  middav  in 
the  Southern  Hemisphere  the  sun  is  always  in  the 
north,  and  that  to  go  due  south  you  have  only  to 
keep  the  sun  shining  on  the  back  of  your  neck. 
One  or  two  other  little  useful  facts  may  l)e  here 
set  down.  If  lost  at  night  on  the  veldt  on  a  bright 
starry  evening,  four  times  and  a  half  the  lengtli 
of  the  Southern  Cross,  measured  from  the  summit 
to  the  base,  in  the  direction  of  the  base  indicates 
the  position  of  the  South  Pole.  The  direction  of 
the  wind  is  apt  to  be  misleading,  as  it  generally 
follows  the  sun  in  the  course  of  the  day.  It  is 
M'ell  fur  a  hunter   lea  vino-   his   wago-ons    on   the 

O  Co 

"  trek  "  to  make  these  latter  drag  a  chain  between 
the  rear  wheels.  When  in  returning  from  the 
chase  you  reach  the  I'oad,  you  can  easily  discover 
from  the  presence  or  absence  of  the  marks  of  the 
chain  in  the  dust,  among  innuinei'able  other  spoor, 
whether  your  waggons  are  before  or  liehind  you. 
Sir  Frederick  Carrington  taught  me  this  simple 
little  dodge,  which,  fortunately  for  its  efficacy,  is 
hardly  at  all  resorted  to.  It  is  very  imprudent 
for  anv  one  to  go  huntino-  on  the  veldt  without  a 
small  supply  of  biscuits  and  whisky.  Chocolate  is 
an  excellent  thing  to  carry,  and  a  box  of  matches 
is  essential.  If  the  hunter  towai'ds  the  evening 
finds  himself  really  lost,  and  is  a  great  distance 
from  his   camp,  it  is  much  better   to  reahze    the 


Lost  at  Nightfall.  253 


fact  while  some  daylight  remains,  and  to  make 
timely  preparations  for  passing  the  night  on  the 
A'eldt,  such  as  choosin2:  a  o^ood  tree  to  A\'hich  to 
attach  vour  horse,  and  collecting  an  jimple  stock 
of  tire  wood  to  last  through  the  night.  If  these 
preparations  are  postponed  too  long,  darkness  super- 
venes, and  the  hunter  is  helpless.  Also,  if  being- 
lost  on  the  veldt  you  happen  to  kill  a  buck,  choose 
your  resting-jDlace  for  the  night  some  distance 
away  from  the  dead  game,  Avliich  is  likely  to 
attract  either  wohes  oi'  lions,  in  whose  Aicinity  at 
night  it  is  well  not  to  l^e.  I  found  my  way  to  the 
road,  and  shortly  afterwards  to  the  waggons,  without 
much  difficulty,  and  despatched  the  ''Baboon"  to 
search  for  and  bring  in  the  two  dead  buck,  A\diicli 
task  he  successfully  accomplished  l)efore  dark. 

At  sundown  I  was  surprised  l^y  the  arri\'al  of 
Messrs.  Perkins  and  Rolker,  A^'llo  I  thought  had 
gone  with  Captain  Williams  along  the  loAver  road. 
Thev  brought  the  somewhat  gloomy  intelligence 
that  the  span  of  oxen  which  had  been  hired  for 
the  Scotch  cart  had  strayed  and  been  lost,  oAving 
to  the  carelessness  ol'  our  lioys,  and  that  Captain 
Williams  had  remained  behind  to  try  and  recover 
them.  L^p  to  this  moment  nothing  had  been  heard 
of  these  lost  oxen,  although  parties  Avere  sent  in 
all  directions  to  search  for  them,  and  Captain 
AVilliams  eA^entually  arrived  at  Hartley  Hill  with 
another  span,  AAdiich  had  been  kindly  lent  him  by 
the  officials  of  the  Chartered  Company.  On  the 
foUoAvino;  mornino-  3Iessrs.  Perkins  and  Piolker 
proceeded  on  their  A\'ay,  Avhile  I  contented  mA'sell' 


254  Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa 


with  ;i  four  miles'  trek  to  a   Kaffir  kraal  of  some 
size,  picturesquely  perched  on  the  peaks  of  a  rocky 
kopje,    similar   to    the  one  near  Fort    Salisl3ury, 
which  I  described  in  a  former  chapter.    Here,  under 
the   ample  shade   of  a  laro-e   "  makoona "   tree,   I 
made    a  comfortable  camp.     We  AYere  soon  sur- 
rounded by  a  score  of  natives,  old  and  young,  male 
and  female,  who,  in  exchange  for  the  fresh  meat 
-svith  which  we  were  provided,  gave  us  large  sup- 
plies of  mealies  and  of  Kaffir  corn.     I  tried  in  vain 
to  purchase  a  goat,  as  also  milk  and  eggs,  but  none 
of  these  commodities  would  they  produce.     About 
noon,  the  sun  Ijeing  very  hot,  Lee  and  I  rode  out 
on  our  daily  hunt.     Soon  ^ve  saw  a  solitary  harte- 
beest  standing  under  a  tree  looking  at  us,  at  Avhich 
I  fired  at  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
After  the  shot  he  moved  a  lew  paces  to  the  right, 
and  still  remained  gazing  at  us  intently.     Seeing 
that  he  was  not  disposed  to  make  off,  and  thinking 
I  had  missed  him,  I  sat  down  on  the  ground,  and, 
resting   my  ritle  on  my  knees,  took  steady  aim. 
This  bullet  hit  him  in  the  chest,  and  he  staggered 
away  a  few  yards  and  fell.     On  going  up  to  him  I 
found  that  my  first  ballet   had  broken  the  lower 
jaw.     This  wound  must  have  stupefied  him,  and 
probal)ly  accounted  for  his  immobility  after  my 
first  shot.     Groing  on,  we  again  ascend  a  kopje  to 
spy  the  plain.     As  usual,   we  j^ei'ceive  liartebeest 
and  roan  antelope  in  difierent  directions,  and,  as 
usual,   prefer  to  pursue  the  latter.     These  were 
two  cows,  which,  on  being  chased  for  a  short  way, 
led  us  on  to  a  herd  of  seven  other  roan   antelope. 


Dangerously  bad  Shooting.  25^ 


We  had  a  iine  gallop  of  nearly  three  miles  after 
this  herd,  getting  many  shots.  I  knocked  down 
the  old  bnll,  to  Avhicli  in  passing,  Lee  gave  what 
he  thought  to  be  a  finishing  shot.  I  made  after  a 
cow  which  seemed  to  be  wounded,  and  rode  her 
to  a  standstill.  I  finished  her  off  with  a  shot  hred 
from  the  horse's  back,  and  returned  to  look  for 
the  bull.  The  old  fellow,  as  soon  as  he  saAv  me 
approaching,  rose  to  his  feet  and  staggered  away 
for  some  distance,  and  then  stood  and  looked  at 
me.  Dismountinii-  within  a  rani2e  of  less  than  lOU 
yards,  and  sitting  down,  resting  my  rifle  on  my 
knees,  I  fired  four  bullets  at  him,  thi-ee  of  which 
missed  him  clean,  the  fourth  penetrating  the  head 
and  putting  an  end  to  his  sufferings.  This  was 
dano'erouslv  bad  shootino;  if  a  lion  had  been  the 
object  instead  of  a  roan  antelope,  but  along  gallop 
over  the  veldt  under  a  hot  sun  makes  the  eye  and 
the  hand  alike  unsteady.  On  the  morning  of  the 
3rd  of  September,  "  tlie  Baboon "  having  been 
sent  awav  to  fetch  the  antelope  killed  the  day 
before,  Lee  and  I  I'ode  in  a  westerly  direction  to 
another  Kaffir  kraal.  Here  the  natives  ^vere 
making  Avhat  was  evidenth'  a  new  installation.  I 
noticed  that  their  huts,  Avitli  conical  roofs,  and 
their  small  circular  store-houses  constructed  of 
clay  and  wattle,  were  erected  with  marvellous 
neatness,  and  even  symmetry.  I  tried  to  purchase 
a  cow,  but  the  owner  declared  he  would  not  part 
with  her  unless  he  received  two  Martini-Henry 
rifles  Avith  sufficient  nmmunition.  One  of  the 
natives  offered  to  a'uide  us  back,   so  we  foUoAved 


256  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


him.  After  going  for  more  than  four  miles,  he 
led  us  right  on  to  a  splendid  herd  of  about  forty 
sable  antelope,  among  which  could  be  easily  per- 
ceived a  regular  old  patriarch  of  a  bull  Avitli  long- 
upstanding  black  mane  and  wide  arching  horns. 
I  had  always  been  longing  to  come  across  such  a 
herd,  but  till  to-day  had  only  been  successful  in 
meeting  with  single  specimens.  Nothing  more 
beautiful  can  be  imagined  than  the  sight  of  this 
great  lot  of  antelope  careering  over  the  plain  from 
two  to  three  hundred  yards  ahead  of  us.  For 
some  reason  or  other  I  shot  terribly  badly  this 
morning.  In  a  gallop  of  upwards  of  three  miles  I 
fired  twenty-seven  cartridges  and  only  actually 
killed  one,  although  I  wounded  another  whicli  Lee 
hnished.  Lee  killed  three,  among  which  Avas  the 
old  bull,  whom  I  found,  on  examination,  to  possess 
a  pair  of  horns  of  surpassing  excellence.  These 
hve  antelope  lay  dead  on  the  ground  over  a  dis- 
tance of  about  two  miles.  I  would  have  pursued 
the  herd  further  than  I  did  but  tliat  a  nastA' 
spruit  intervened,  in  crossing  whicli  the  antelo])e 
gained  an  immense  start,  and  my  horse,  becoming 
utterly  blown,  was  unable  to  make  up  the  lost 
ground.  ]\Iy  last  shot,  fired  at  a  distance  of  moi-e 
than  400  yards  right  at  the  herd,  brought  down  a 
nice  young  bull,  which  Lee  managed  to  gallop 
after  and  secure.  In  the  afternoon  we  trekked 
five  miles  towards  the  ground  where  the  sable 
antelope  lay  dead,  and  on  the  following  morning 
Lee  set  out  at  dawn  with  four  horses  to  find  the 
old  bull  and  the  two  cows,  while    "  the    Baboon  '" 


I 


The  Troubles  oe  Trekking.  257 

with  ten  mules  started  off  to  bring  in  tlie  other 
cow  and  bull,  which  lay  at  some  distance  away. 
"  The  Baboon  "  brought  in  his  two  animals  safe 
and  untouched.  Lee  was  only  successful  in  finding 
the  old  bull,  the  natives  having  probably  carried 
oft'  entire  the  t\Y0  dead  cows.  In  the  afternoon 
numbers  of  natives  came  in  from  a  kraal  in  the 
vicinity.  In  the  short  space  of  two  hours  the 
three  big  buck  had  been  cut  up  and  bartered  away 
and  distributed  in  return  for  mealies,  Kaffir  corn, 
some  milk,  and  a  few  eggs.  The  natives  are 
passionately  fond  of  fresh  meat,  and  will  give  more 
in  exchange  for  it  than  for  "  limbo,"  wire,  or 
beads.  The  two  following  days  we  occupied  in 
trekking,  as  time  was  getting  on  and  Hartley  Hill 
>was  still  distant.  During  the  trek,  Lee  saw, 
chased,  and  killed  a  good  sable  antelope  bull. 
During  these  two  days  we  had  to  cross  a  series  of 
swampy  places,  and  three  times  we  stuck  fast 
hopelessly.  The  tedious  and  fatiguing  process  of 
oft-loading,  of  carrying  the  goods  for  a  considerable 
distance,  and  of  aoain  unloadino-  had  to  be  con- 
stantly  gone  through,  to  our  inexj)ressible  annoy- 
ance and  disgust.  I  think  on  the  whole  it  is  better 
when  the  wao-o-on  first  buries  its  wheels  in  the  mud 
and  sticks  to  outsi3an  your  team  and  to  attach  it 
to  the  rear  of  the  waggon  and  to  draw  this  back, 
than  to  attempt  to  drag  it  forward,  when  spades, 
pickaxes,  and  even  off-loading  are  apt  to  become 
unavailing,  and  you  have  to  wait  till  some  chance 
passing  waggon  gives  you  the  assistance  of  it!:^ 
team,  and  extricates  you  from  the  morass. 

s 


258   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


The  whole  of  the  country  which  lies  between 
Fort  Salisbury  and  Hartley  Hill  consists  of  wide 
undulating  plains,  dotted  here  and  there  with 
ko]3Jes  and  intersected  by  groves  and  by  lono-  belts 
of  thick  bush.  In  many  parts  the  veldt  is  covered 
with  a  quantity  of  green  plants  of  many  varieties, 
and  with  a  profusion  of  wild  flowers  in  full  bloom. 
The  petunia  grows  wild  all  over  this  veldt.  In 
the  frequent  hollo's vs  of  the  plains  water  is  always 
to  be  found,  and  swampy,  marshy  ground  em- 
barrasses and  delays  your  waggon.  On  the  evening 
of  the  6th  we  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Saroe 
ri^'er.  Here  Lee  observed  some  comparatively 
recent  traces  of  hippopotami,  and  early  the  next 
morning  he  and  I  set  off  up  the  ri\'er  in  search  of 
these  creatures.  But  we  were  unsuccessful,  and 
saw  no  hippo.  This  morning  I  came  across  a  wild 
fig  tree,  with  much  ripe  fruit.  This  fruit  is  of  a 
soft  rose  colour,  much  smaller  tlian  the  ijarden  fio- 
at  home,  quite  as  sweet,  with  the  seeds  inside  small 
and  dry.  These  are  often  much  infested  by  ants, 
so  that  one  has  to  be  careful  in  eatino-  these  fios. 
This  curious  tree  seems  to  have  a  habit  of  j^ro- 
ducing  ripe  fruit  at  any  season  of  the  year.  The 
only  other  incident  of  the  day's  ride  was  the  a]?- 
pearance  of  an  immense  quantity  of  baboons,  the 
first  that  I  had  happened  to  see  since  I  had  landed 
in  Africa.  These  were  very  wild,  and  fled  long 
before  we  got  at  all  near  them.  In  the  afternoon 
we  trekked  fourteen  miles  to  the  Zimboe  river. 
Here  I  found  outspanned  a  small  party  of  three 
men  with  donkeys,  who  were  in  a  great  state  of 


Wild  Flowers  and  Fruit.  259 

excitement  at  having  seen  close  by  the  road  a  hii-ge 
herd  of  elands,  as  they  said,  some  fifty  in  nnmber. 
Next  morning  Lee  and   "  the  Baboon  "  foniid  the 
spoor  of  these  elands,    and  tried  for  a  couple  of 
hours  unsuccessfally  to   follow   it.     I  then  again 
trekked,  but  had  not  proceeded  far  before  I  over- 
took one  of  my  friends  of  the  previous  evening, 
who  had  been  out  shooting,  and  had  killed  a  roan 
anteloj^e,  had  seen  the  elands  in  the   distance,   as 
also  some  ostrich,  neither  of  which,  being  on  foot, 
had  he  been  able  to  pursue.     On  receiving  this 
intellio'ence,  Lee  and  I  immediately  mounted  our 
horses,    and,   leaving  the  waggon  to  trek   on  to 
Hartley  Hill,  rode  on  toA^'ards  the  spot  where  the 
elands  were  supposed  to  be.     On  this  day  I  saw  a 
greater  quantity  and  variety  of  game   than  I  had 
seen  on  any  other  since  I  began  hunting  in  Africa. 
AVe  first  sighted  some  large  buck,  which  we  took 
to  be  elands  ;  getting  near  them,  they  turned  out 
to  be  a  herd  of  seven  fine  koodoo  bulls.     I  took  a 
shot    at  one  of  them  at  a   distance  of  over  200 
yards,  but  was  not  successful,  the  herd  galloping 
off  just  as  I  pulled  the  trigger.     We  did  not  j^ursue 
them,  as  eland  was  the  game  we  were  after.     We 
soon  came  upon  the  s^^oor  of  the  eland,  quite  fresh, 
indicating     their     proximity.     While     we     were 
following  it  up  through  a  grove  of  trees  ^ye  dis- 
cerned about  half  a  mile   out  on  the  plain  five 
ostriches.     It  Av^as    now    a    question  which  to  go 
after,    the  ostrich  or  the   eland,  and  after  much 
hesitation  and  discussion  we  determined  to  chase 
the  ostrich.     We  had  a  good  gallop  after  these  for 

s  2 


26o  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  They  took  a 
circular  course,  and  as  we  occupied  the  inside  of 
the  circle,  both  Lee  and  I  obtained  half-a-dozen 
good  shots  each.  Alas  !  we  both  shot  very  badly, 
not  one  was  brought  down,  but  I  expect  an 
ostrich  going  full  tilt  is  not  an  easy  object  to  hit. 
Galloping  after  the  ostrich,  my  horse,  putting  his 
foot  in  a  hole,  came  heavily  to  the  ground.  I  did 
not  lose  my  seat,  but  lost  my  ]4fle,  which  was 
thrown  some  yards  away.  Tliis  incident  caused 
delay,  and  allowed  the  ostrich  to  get  too  far  from 
us,  so  we  abandoned  the  chase,  chagrined  at  our 
bad  shooting  and  at  not  having  secured  the  cock 
bird,  which  was  in  fine  plumage.  The  appear- 
ance, however,  of  these  great  l)irds  skimming 
along  over  the  plain  Avith  their  somewhat  grotesque 
action  had  been  very  pleasant  and  exciting.  While 
we  were  dismounted,  watching  the  disappearing 
ostrich  tlirough  a  telescope,  three  sable  antelope 
approached  us  and  stood  looking,  aljout  400  }'ards 
away.  They  seemed  to  be  aware  that  we  had  no 
intention  of  molesting  them,  for  tliey  kept  near  us 
for  some  time  after  Ave  had  mounted  and  Avei'c 
riding  along,  showing  no  signs  of  alarm  even  Avlien 
they  had  our  Avind.  The  day  Avas  very  hot,  and  I 
liaA^e  noticed  that  at  mid-day,  AAdien  the  heat  is 
great,  and  Avhen  there  is  little  wind,  the  antelope 
are  often  singularly  tame.  Xoav  again,  being  on 
an  eminence,  we  spied  the  plain,  the  sable  antelope 
also  spying  us  close  by.  To  our  joy  the  elands 
Avere  made  out  grazing  along  the  edge  of  some 
bush  about    a   mile    oil".     The    herd    Avas    sloAvly 


A  Herd  of  Elands.  261 

approachecl,  and  was  seen  to  be  a  large  one, 
nnniliering  nearly  tliirty,  with  several  young 
calves.  At  last  I  liacl  come  across  these  big- 
creatures  about  which  I  had  heard  so  much,  whicli 
I  had  hoped  for  so  many  days  and  dreamed  of  so 
many  nights.  The  herd  looked  splendid ;  con- 
spicuous among  them  stood  the  old  bull,  in 
appearance  almost  twice  as  big  as  the  cows,  and 
very  majestic.  Oft'  they  trotted  into  the  bush  as 
we  came  within  500  yards  ;  after  them  we  cantered, 
and  were  soon  close  on  their  heels.  The  eland  is 
not  speedy  like  the  roan  antelope,  hartebeest,  or 
sable  antelope  ;  he  hardly  ever  goes  out  of  a  trot, 
but  when  he  is  alarmed  this  trot  keeps  a  horse  at 
a  good  hand  canter  to  remain  Avithin  shootino* 
distance.  I  went  after  the  old  bull,  who  soon  left 
the  herd,  and,  accompanied  by  a  single  cow,  took 
over  the  plain.  In  a  patch  of  bush  this  cow 
abandoned  him,  and  he  trotted  along  all  alone,  a 
great,  fine  beast.  Three  times  I  missed  him.  My 
fourth  l^uUet  hit  him  high  in  the  haunch,  near  the 
tail,  when  he  was  al)out  150  yards  away,  as  he  was 
crossing  a  s^Druit.  Then  I  saw  he  could  go  no 
longer,  and  rode  up  slowly  within  twenty  yards  of 
him.  I  shall  never  forget  the  sight  of  this  noble 
and  commanding  luill  eland  looking  at  me  most 
reproachfully,  and  from  time  to  time  moving  away 
a  i'ew  paces  very  slowly.  There  was  nothing  un- 
gainly or  convulsive  about  his  attitude  or  action, 
as  is  often  the  case  with  other  wounded  buck 
when  the  hunter  draws  near.  AVlien  dismounting 
I    gave    him   a   bullet    behind   the    shoulder,    he 


262  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

moved  away  a  few  more  paces,  and  lay  down  quite 
o-racefully  on  the  ground,  sighing.  Then  turning 
on  his  side,  stretching  out  wide  apart  his  fore  and 
liind  legs,  and  again  relaxing  them,  he  expired  in 
a  position  of  complete  repose.  In  weight  he  must 
have  exceeded  a  thousand  pounds  ;  his  horns  were 
long,  straight,  thick  at  the  base,  with  a  spiral 
twist  in  them.  Lee  came  up,  and  we  had  hard 
work  to  cut  branches  and  grass  sufficient  to  cover 
and  hide  so  large  a  beast.  From  twenty  to  thirty 
pounds  of  the  meat,  taken  from  the  back  and 
breast,  we  cut  off  at  once,  and  attached  to  our 
saddles ;  and  when  mounted  must  have  looked 
like  a  peram1)ulatiiig  l)utclierV  shop.  It  Avas  well 
that  we  carried  off  so  much  meat  with  us,  as  a 
grass  fire  Iilazing  in  the  vicinity,  impelled  by  the 
Avind,  after  our  departure  enveloped  and  consumed 
our  fine  eland  bull,  and  on  the  morrow  "the 
Baboon"'  found  l:)iit  a  cliarred  carcase,  the  horns 
being  the  onlv  portion  of  the  remains  which  tlie 
flames  had  been  unable  to  destroy  or  spoil.  A 
long  ride  of  ten  or  twelve  miles  lay  before  us  to 
Hartley  Hill,  which  we  reached  about  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  seeing  on  our  Avay  many  buck 
of  various  sorts,  Avhich  Ave  disdained  to  chase. 


Hartley  Hill.  263 


CHxVPTER  XVII. 

WEALTH    OE    MASHONALAND. DOUBT     AND    DISAP- 
POINTMENT. 

Hartley  Hill — Our  party  again  i;nited — The  Tsetse-fly  pest — 
jNlr.  Perkins  joins  me  in  a  clay's  shooting  —  Surgeon 
Eayner's  adventure  with  a  lion — Contemplating  the  return 
journey — Making  a  clean  V)reast  of  it — Deceptive  appear- 
ances— Reefs  in  the  Eiffel  district — What  is  to  become  of 
the  country  1  — Mr.  Perkins  and  the  leopard. 

Hartley  Hill  is  a  low  two-peaked  kopje,  rising 
out  of  a  plain  covered  with  thick  bush.  At  the 
foot  of  the  koj^je  runs  the  Zimboe,  a  fresh  stream 
floAving  in  a  rocky  bed,  which,  within  a  distance 
of  half  a  mile,  joins  the  Umfuli.  This  latter  river 
is  here  a  line  piece  of  water.  It  was  quite  re- 
freshing after  so  long  a  travel  in  q,  comparatively 
waterless  land  to  find  one's  self  gazing  at  the  long, 
broad,  deep  flats  which  distinguish  the  Umfuli 
as  a  real  river  from  among  such  a  number  of 
capricious  and  scantily  supplied  water-courses. 
Tliere  is  little  of  attraction  in  Hartley  Hill  itself. 
The  kopje  has  an  unhealthy,  stuffy  appearance, 
and  its  sanitary  character  corresponds  with  its 
appearance.  The  soil  has  been  much  tainted  with 
numerous  "  outspans."  A  veritable  plague  of 
common  black  flies  persecutes  one  from  morning 
till  evenino".     For  some  reason  or   other  the  fresh 


264  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


breezes  which  daily  sweep  over  the  veldt  scarceh^ 
seem  to  penetrate  to,  or  in  any  way  relieve  the 
oppressive  atmosphere  of  Hartley  Hill.  On  the 
higher  peat  of  the  kopje  Messrs.  Johnson,  Heaney, 
and  Borrow  have,  with  their  usual  enterprise, 
erected  huts  and  store-houses.  On  the  other  and 
lower  peak,  Mr.  G-raham,  the  Alining  Commissioner, 
has  his  offices  and  abode.     Manv  stories  of  adven- 


The  miaing  settlein9nt  at  Hartley  Hill. 


tares  with  lions  were  current  when  I  arrived  at 
Hartley  Hill.  On  the  first  night  I  was  there  a 
lion  broke  into  the  kraal  of  the  firm  mentioned 
above,  situated  close  to  where  I  was  outspanned, 
killed,  and  carried  oiF  a  donkey.  This  lion  on  Uvo 
successive  evenings  returned  to  his  prey,  and  shots 
were  fired  at  him  Avithout  eftect.  One  of  the 
prospectors  in  the  ser^nce  of  Sir  John  Willoughby, 


I 


Our  1'artv  again  United.  265 

hearing  a  noise,  went  out  in  the  dusk  of  the 
morning,  and  seeing  three  large  animals,  hred  at 
them  witli  his  rifle  and  hiid  them  all  low.  Snnrise 
revealed  to  him  that  he  had  slain  three  of  his 
master's  donkeys.  I  foimd  on  getting  to  Hartley 
Hill  that  Mr.  Alfred  Beit,  accompanied  by  Messrs. 
Perkins  and  Rolker,  had  gone  into  tsetse-flv 
country  to  inspect  some  reefs  about  the  wealth  of 
which  rumour  had  been  active,  situated  in  the 
"  Eiffel  district,"  and  were  not  expected  back  for 
two  or  three  days.  On  the  following  morning,  to 
my  great  relief.  Major  Giles  turned  up  with  a 
Avaggon  laden  ^vitli  stores  and  other  things  of 
which  I  was  much  in  want.  He  brouo-ht  re- 
assuring  news  of  my  waggons  and  oxen,  which  he 
had  left  outsi:)anned  on  the  Hunyani  river,  twelve 
miles  from  Fort  Salisbury.  The  difficulties  and 
distresses  of  the  expedition  had  not  in  reality  been 
so  great  as  had  been  represented  to  me  in  the 
letter  I  received  three  weeks  before,  while  hunting 
on  the  Upi^er  Umfuh.  The  oxen  had  now  found 
good  veldt,  where  they  were  picking  up  strength 
and  putting  on  flesh  rapidly.  Captain  Williams 
arrived  in  the  evening  from  Fort  Salisbury, 
accomj^anied  by  Sir  John  AVillough1)y,  the  latter 
on  his  way  to  the  Zambesi.  On  the  following  day 
Surgeon  Rayner,  Captain  Coventry,  and  Mr. 
Mackay  came  into  camp.  Our  party  then  was 
again  united,  with  the  exception  of  i\Ir.  Edgell, 
left  in  charge  of  the  waggons  and  oxen  on  the 
Hunyani  river,  A  month  and  two  days  had 
elapsed  since  we  separated  at  Fort  Victoria,  and  it 


266   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

was  j^leasant  and  cheering  being  once  more  to- 
gether, all  of  us  having  experienced  various 
troubles  and  adventures,  none  of  us  having  suffered 
from  any  illness  or  real  misfortune.  Time  passed 
rapidly  in  recounting  to  each  other  our  different 
narratives,  in  making  plans  and  arrangements  for 
future  operations.  Soon  Major  Giles  returned  to 
Fort  Salisbury  to  prepare  for  the  sale  of  the  outfit. 
Mr.  Mackay,  with  a  prosjDector  of  some  experience, 
was  despatched  to  the  Umswezi  river  to  examine 
certain  reefs  which  were  reported  to  be  rich. 
This  district  is  infested  by  the  tsetse  fly  ;  neither 
horses,  mules,  nor  oxen  can  be  taken  there.  The 
miner  travels  on  foot,  with  donkeys  carrying  his 
baggage.  Donkeys  do  not  enjoy  any  real  im- 
munity from  the  effects  of  the  bite  of  the  tsetse 
fly,  but  as  they  appear  to  resist  the  poison  for  a 
nuich  longer  period  than  any  other  animal,  and  as 
they  are  of  small  value,  thev  are  found  to  be  of 
great  use  for  transport  in  tlie  "  fly "  country. 
A  certain  time  having  to  l^e  passed  while  reefs 
were  being  examined  and  reports  made,  I  resolved 
upon  another  shooting  ex|)edition  to  the  locality 
where  I  had  seen  the  elands,  the  ostriches,  and 
many  other  buck.  Mr.  Henry  C.  Perkins,  who 
had  had  no  good  shooting,  managed  to  steal  a  day 
from  his  mining  business  and  came  with  me.  We 
trekked  on  to  the  veldt,  some  ten  miles  from 
Hartley  Hill,  and  went  hunting  on  the  following 
morning.  A  good  many  liuck  were  seen  and  shot 
at,  hartebeest,  waterbuck,  duiker.  Mr.  Perkins 
Avas  successful  in  securing  a  fine  sable  antelope 
bull,  after  a  regular   Highland   stalk,  and  an  old 


The  King  of  the  Forest.  267 

ram  reitbuck.  We  also  chased  a  large  herd  of 
roan  antelope,  which  led  us  along  some  terribly 
rocky  and  stony  ground,  where  galloping  was 
almost  impossible.  We  managed,  however,  to  kill 
the  old  bull  of  the  herd.  I  remained  in  this  camp 
for  two  days  after  Mr.  Perkins  had  returned  to  his 
mines  and  his  reefs,  but  got  little  sport.  The  buck 
lind  been  too  much  chased,  and  had  mostly 
abandoned  the  locality.  On  one  morning  my 
hopes  were  excited  by  coming  across  a  large  out- 
crop of  apparently  good-looking  quartz.  This, 
liowever,  when  panned  was  found  not  to  contain 
any  gold, 

T^\'o  davs  after  my  return  to  Hartley  Hill, 
Surgeon  Rayner  and  Hans  Lee  ^vent  out  to  try 
and  get  a  buck  or  two,  as  the  camp  wns  in 
want  of  fi-esh  meat.  Anol:)ler  game  awaited  them. 
Two  lions  were  seen  stalking  a  herd  of  roan 
nntelope.  The  former  Avere  at  once  pursued,  and 
one  of  the  couple  soon  had  three  bullets  in  his 
hind  quarters.  Retreating  into  some  high  grass, 
he  afterwards  charged  and  chased  his  hunters, 
getting  rather  too  close  to  the  doctor  to  be  quite 
pleasant.  This  was  his  last  effort,  for  he  was  badly 
wounded,  and  a  bullet  in  his  head  terminated  his 
wicked  career.  As  fine  a  specimen  of  a  lion  as 
could  be  seen,  he  measured  twelve  feet  three 
inches  from  the  tip  of  his  nose  to  the  tip  of  his 
tail,  his  skin  was  in  perfect  condition,  his  mane 
Ijushy  and  dark  coloured.  The  doctor  returned  to 
camp  greatly  pleased  with  his  exciting  and  fortu- 
nate adventure.  The  indefatigable  Lee  rode  out 
again  in  the  evening  and  killed   a  sable  antelope 


268   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  xAfrica. 


and  a  hartebeest,  so  that  we  were  not  deprived  of 

fresh  meat  on  account  of  the  lion. 

An  exjDedition  in  this  country  is  ahnost  entirely 

dependent  for  fresh  meat  on  the  buck  which  are 

killed.     The  natives  will  not  part  with  their  sheep 

and  goats.     While  I  was  at  Hartley  Hill  a  trader 

came   in   from    Buluroyo,    with    slaughter  oxen, 

bouo-ht    from     Lobens-ula    from     the     Chartered 

Company.     I  procured  from  him  two  good  sheep 

and  a  goat.     The  fat  mutton  was  found  l^y  all  to 

be  a  real  luxury.     I  also  purchased  from  this  man 

tT70  milch  cows.     These  tiny  creatures  are  with 

difhculty  prevailed   upon    to    yield    about   three 

bottles  of  milk  a  day  between  them,  keeping  tlie 

rest  for  their  calves,  from  which  the  natives  never 

separate  them.    However,  even  this  scanty  quantitv 

of  fresh  milk  was  another  luxury  which  had  not 

been  enjoyed  for  weeks  or  months,  and  on  which 

we  set  great  store.     AYhile  at  Hartley  Hill   the 

increasing  heat  of  the  sun  indicated  the  close  of 

the  South  African  winter.     Heavy  masses  of  clouds 

gathering  in  the  afternoon,  a  sultry  and  oppressive 

air,  foretold  the  near  commencement  of  the  early 

rains   and   storms.     Surgeon    Rayner   ascertained 

that   at   midday   the   thermometer  in   the   shade 

marked  eighty-five   degrees.     The  nights  remain 

cool  and  fresh,  the  mercurv  ranoino-  from  fortv- 
'  .,00  I 

five  to  fifty  degrees.  Many  signs  and  appearances, 
however,  continue  to  tell  us  that  our  return 
journey  must  soon  occupy  our  thoughts.  A 
troublesome  prospect  this  return  journey.  Eight 
thousand  miles  nearly  have  to  be  traversed  before 


Making  a  Clean  Breast  of  it.  269 

we  see  England  again.  The  choice  of  route  also 
perplexes ;  whether  to  retread  the  weary  and 
monotonous  2:>ath  to  Victoria  and  Tuli,  or  whether 
to  attempt  to  reach  the  coast  vw  the  Pungwe, 
hraving  the  "  fly,"  the  fever,  and  the  discomfort  of 
being  deprived  of  all  wheeled  vehicles,  furnishes 
matter  for  frequent  and  anxious  deliberation.  The 
gold  district  of  Manica  has  still  to  l^e  visited, 
but  exjDectation  is  lowered  and  hope  no  longer 
glows.  For  now  I  arrive  at  the  most  unsatis- 
factory portion  of  my  narrative,  and  have  to  make 
a  melancholy  and  mortifying  confession. 

In  the  earlier  pages  of  this  book  I  more 
than  once  wrote  about  the  wealth  and  fertility 
of  Mashonaland  as  of  a  fact  about  which  there 
could  be  neither  doubt  nor  question.  An  ex- 
traordinary concurrence  of  opinion  on  the  part 
of  many  travellers,  confirmed  largely  by  his- 
torical record  and  by  the  traditions  of  gene- 
rations, altogether  misled  me.  But  the  truth 
has  to  be  told.  jMashonaland,  so  far  as  is  at 
present  known,  and  much  is  known,  is  neither  an 
Arcadia  nor  an  El  Dorado.  The  discovery  that 
the  Mazoe  river  gold  district  Avas  a  disappointment, 
and  that  no  expectations  of  fortune  could  be 
derived  from  it,  was  borne  with  comparative 
equanimity,  for  all  were  assured,  those  who  had 
been  resident  in  the  country  for  some  time  and 
those  who  had  recently  arrived,  that  the  mineral 
wealth  in  the  district  of  Hartley  Hill  would  more 
than  compensate  for  the  deficiencies  of  Mazoe.  It 
seemed  impossible  that  such  a  mass  of  apparently 


2/0  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

substantiated  report  and  of  rumour  could  turn  out 
to  be  altogether  valueless  and  misleading.  I 
speedily  found  out,  however,  that  this  was  the 
case.  Mr.  A.  Beit  with  his  j^arty  returned  from 
their  examination  of  the  much  talked  about 
'•  Eiffel "  district  much  disappointed.  These  reefs 
are  somewhat  typical ;  a  considerable  outcrop, 
much  of  which  when  broken  up  shows  a  wonder- 
ful appearance  of  visible  gold ;  this,  however,  when 
extracted  by  crushing  and  panning,  is  found  to  be 
of  the  hnest  and  thinnest  character.  It  seems  to 
have  been  deposited  in  small  flakes  by  Avater  filter- 
ing through  the  cracks  and  crevices  of  the  quartz  ; 
so  much  so  that  ore,  which  at  first  sight  might 
lead  even  the  experienced  to  hope  that  it  would 
yield  three  or  four,  or  even  more,  ounces  to  the  ton, 
actually  results  in  the  23roduction  of  from  half-a- 
dozen  to  a  dozen  pennyweights.  As  Avitli  "  The 
Eiffel "  reefs  so  with  very  many  others.  Again, 
where  the  gold  is  of  a  coarser  and  better  quality 
firmly  amalgamated  Avith  the  quartz  itself,  then 
the  reef  is  foiuid  either  to  have  no  apprecialjle 
depth,  or  else  at  any  appreciable  depth  to  yield 
little  appreciable  gold.  Hardly  an  exception  to 
these  general  characteristics  has  as  yet  been  dis- 
covered. A  large  amount  of  rumour  had  Ibmid 
its  way  to  Hartley  Hill  as  to  the  richness  of  the 
reefs  on  the  Umswezi  river.  Mr.  Mackay  returned 
from  an  expedition  there  extending  over  some 
days,  but  reported  that  he  had  found  nothing 
of  promise,  and  the  specimens  he  brought  back 
v/ith   him,    Avhen   crushed,    gave    but   poor  pros- 


Deceptive  Appearances.  271 

pects.  Another  district  some  fifty  miles  from 
here  do^uTi  the  Umfuli  river,  Avhere  is  situated  the 
Mammoth  river  about  which  much  talk  had  been 
made  (as  also  the  Lo  Magundi  district),  is,  I  expect, 
of  no  better  character  than  those  I  have  already 
written  about.  j\Iauy  prospectors,  some  working 
for  syndicates,  some  on  their  own  account,  many  of 
Australian  and  American  ex^^erience,  have  no"\v 
been  occupied  in  these  districts  for  some  time. 
Not  one,  although  they  are  all  sufficiently  com- 
mimicative,  appears  to  be  able  to  claim,  or  to  be 
desirous  even  of  claiming,  that  he  has  discovered 
anything  of  value  or  promise.  Day  by  day  I  see 
them  abandoning  the  country  with  the  usual  ex- 
pression that  "it  is  not  good  enough  for  them." 
Mr.  Henry  C.  Perkins  tells  me  that  he  was  never 
yet  in  any  gold  district  where  so  few  rich  sj)ecimens 
of  quartz  were  brought  for  inspection.  The  gold 
reefs  of  the  country  are  of  an  exasperating  char- 
acter. When  first  seen  and  cursorily  examined 
the  general  appearance  is  promising,  and  hopes  are 
high  ;  l)ut  the  more  they  are  developed,  and  the 
more  work  is  done  upon  them,  the  more  un- 
promising and  valueless  do  they  become.  Such  are 
the  facts  as  at  j^resent  kno^vn  about  the  auriferous 
Avealth  of  Hartley  Hill  and  the  surrounding  district. 
It  is,  of  course,  2)ossible  that  in  course  of  time 
some  fortunate  band  of  prospectors  may  light 
upon  a  really  valuable  reef,  but  no  consideration  or 
iirgument  that  I  know  of  leads  me  to  the  expecta- 
tion that  this  will  be  the  case  any  more  than  the 
absence  of  gold  in  Middlesex  would  lead  me  to  the 


272  -Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


expectation  that  a  gold  mine  would  be  discovered 
in  Grosvenor  Square.  I  may,  however,  quaUfy  the 
unfavourable  opinion  of  the  gold-producing  capacity 
of  this  district  expressed  above,  by  the  mention  of 
the  fact  that  I  have,  in  conjunction  with  ]\Ir.  Alfred 
Beit,  pui'chased  half  the  property  in  one  of  the 


At  Hartley  Hill.     Panning  for  gold  at  Mr.  Borrow's  hut. 

mines  belonging  to  Messrs.  Johnson,  Heaney,  and 
BorroAv.  The  pm-chase-money  is  to  be  expended 
on  the  immediate  development  of  the  reef  on 
which,  up  to  now,  little  or  no  work  liJis  been  done. 
If  the  reef  is  fomid  on  examination  to  go  down, 
some  hundred  feet  or  so — to  be  three  or  four  feet 
wide  at  thai  depth,  and  to  }-ield  at   that  depth  the 


What  is  to  bfxome  of  this  Country  ?    273 

same  amount  of  gold  which  it  yields  at  the  surface, 
then  the  mine  ^\dll  be  one  of  some  value.  But 
looking  to  the  general  character  of  the  other  reefs 
in  this  district  I  have  little  expectation  that  this 
will  be  the  case.  If  these  general  conclusions  of 
mine  are  correct,  and  I  fear  they  may  be,  the 
question  presents  itself,  and  is  found  to  be  almost 
unanswerable,  What  is  to  be  done  with  this  country? 
Agriculture  on  a  large  scale,  cattle-ranching  or 
sheep-farming,  except  for  the  feeding  of  a  large 
mining  population,  would  be  a  wild  and  ruinous 
enterprise.  The  climate  seems  to  be  altogether 
adverse  to  colonization  and  settlement  by  small 
emigrants.  Moreover,  if  this  region  of  Africa  so 
exceptionally  favoured  in  some  ways  by  nature  is 
found  to  be  of  little  value,  how  infinitely  worthless 
for  all  European  pur^Doses  must  be  the  great  district 
of  the  Central  Lakes,  the  wide  possessions  of  the 
East  African  Company,  and  the  much-vaunted 
Congo  State  !  Sometimes  when  thinking  of  Africa 
as  a  whole,  of  Egypt,  Tunis,  and  ]\Iorocco,  of  the 
Soudan,  and  of  Abyssinia,  of  the  Congo  and  of  the 
Zambesi,  of  the  many  fruitless  attempts  made  by 
many  nations  to  discover,  conquer,  and  civilize,  of 
the  many  hopes  which  have  been  raised  and 
dashed,  of  the  many  expectations  which  have  been 
formed  and  falsified,  it  occurs  to  me  that  there 
must  be  upon  this  great  continent  some  awful  curse, 
some  witherino;  bli2:ht,  and  that  to  delude  and  to 
mock  at  the  explorer,  the  gold-hunter,  the 
merchant,  the  speculator,  and  even  at  ministers 
and  monarchs,  is  its  dark  fortune  and  its  desperate 

T 


274  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

fate.  It  is  possible,  even  probable,  that  these  are 
views  too  gloomy,  formed  and  set  down  as  they 
occur  to  me  under  the  influence  of  the  disappoint- 
ment occasioned  by  the  discovery  that,  as  in  the 
Mazoe  so  in  the  Hartley  Hill  district,  there  are 
probably  no  gold  reefs  of  value  to  be  acquired. 
Manica  has  yet  to  be  visited,  and  the  chai^acter  of 
that  country  may  altogether  change  the  colour  of 
my  expectations. 

On   the    25th    September  I  left    Hartley    Hill 

to    return    to     Fort    Salisbury,    and    thence    to 

travel  towards  Manica.     Soon  I  hoped  we  should 

be  in    a    position   to  know,    or  at   any    rate    to 

form  a  tolerably  accurate  judgment,  as  to  whether 

Mashonaland  is  destined  to  become  a  prosperous 

British    colony   or   to    remain    until    the   end  of 

time    a     barren   and   desolate    African    expanse. 

A  curious  adventure  befell  Mr.  Henry  C.  Perkins 

the  other  day,  in  which  he  had  a  narrow  escape 

from  serious  personal  injury.     He  and  his  fi'iends 

were  examining  a  reef,  along  which  a  trench  had 

been  cut.     At  one  part  of  this  trench  a  narrow 

shaft  had  been  sunk  some  six  feet  in  depth,  at  the 

bottom  of  which  a  small  tunnelling  had  been  made. 

Mr.  Perkins  was  on  the  point  of  jumping  down 

the  shaft  to  examine  the  reef,  when  it  fortunately 

occurred  to  him  that  as  the  sides  were  steep  he 

might  have  some  difficulty  in  getting  out  again. 

It  was  decided  to  wait  before  descending  until  a 

rope  could  be  procured.     AVhile  Mr.  Perkins  and 

his  friends  were  conversino-   on  the  edo;e  of  the 

shaft  a  roar  and  a  rush  was  heard,  and  out  bounded 


Mr.  Perkins  and  the  Leopard.  275 

amid  the  startled  party  a  big  leopard,  which  dashed 
through  their  legs  and  disappeared  into  the  bush. 
This  animal  had  evidently  taken  up  its  abode  in 
the  little  tunnelling  at  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  and 
if  Mr.  Perkins  had  jumped  down,  as  he  intended 
to  do,  perfectly  unarmed,  a  terrible  conflict  would 
probably  have  taken  place  between  him  and  the 
leo^^ard,  in  a  small  confined  space,  from  which 
escape  was  impossible,  and  Mr.  Perkins  ^7ould  have 
been  very  seriously,  if  not  fatally  clawed.  Snakes 
and  scorpions  are  constantly  found  in  these  old 
workings  and  shafts,  and  explorations  and  examina- 
tions of  mines  are  not  without  their  o^vn  special 
dangers. 


T  jJ 


2/6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XYIIL 

LIFE    AT   FORT    SALISBURY. 

Mineral  wealth  of  Mashonaland — Reefs  in  tlie  Mazoe  Eiver 
Valley — The '^  Matchless  "  Mine— Good  news  from  Fort 
Victoria — A  personal  statement — Enterprise  at  Fort  Salis- 
Ij^^ry — A  model  Ranche — Farms  leased  by  the  Chartered 
Company — An  interesting  auction — Indignation  meeting 
against  the  Chartered  Company — Horse-racing  at  Fort 
Salisbury — Organizing  the  administration  of  Mashonaland 
— Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes's  views  of  the  country. 

The  formation  of  any  definite  and  precise  opinion 
about  this  country,  its  resources,  and  its  prospects 
I  found  to  be  a  matter  of  difficulty.     It  cannot 
be  denied  that  the  high  hopes  which  were  enter- 
tained    by    so     many    and     various    competent 
authorities  as  to  the  great  mineral  and  agricultural 
wealth  of  IMashonaland  have    not    hitherto   been 
justified  or  nearly  justified.     This  much  is  j)rob- 
ably  true :  that  agriculture,  while  it  might  be  a 
profitable  enterprise   for   the   feeding   of  a  large 
resident  mining  j^opulation,  for   purposes   of  ex- 
port could  not   succeed.     The  soil,  which   in   no 
part,  so    far   as  I  have    seen  or  can   learn,  is  of 
any  considerable-  depth    or  richness,  which  over 
vast     tracks     is    of  the    most   rocky    and    stony 
character,     which,    over     other    vast     tracks     is 
swampy,  requiring  difficult   and  costly  drainage, 
does  not  j^romise  the  cheap  and  easy  production 
of  abundant  crops  of  grain.     The  great  length  of 


Mineral  Wealth  of  Mashonaland.       277 

the  communications  with  the  coast  and  the  many 
obstacles  of  one  kind  and  another  which  em- 
barrass those  communications,  forbid  the  export 
of  stock,  alive  or  dead.  If  Mashonaland,  there- 
fore, has  to  rely  for  its  prosperity  upon  its 
agricultural  capacity  alone,  it  is  a  country  with- 
out a  future.  There  remains  the  question.  Is 
Mashonaland  a  good  gold  country  ?  High  pro- 
fessional opinion  is  certainly  inclined  to  answer 
this  in  the  negative,  and  to  discourage  the  outlay 
of  capital.  Without  douljt  numerous  reefs,  which 
have  been  found  in  certain  parts  of  the  county, 
which  have  been  to  some  extent  developed,  and 
from  which  fair  samples  have  been  taken  and 
most  carefully  assayed,  have  turned  out  to  be  of 
little  or  no  value.  On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be 
urged  that,  as  the  presence  of  auriferous  quartz 
all  over  the  country,  so  far  as  yet  exj^lored,  is 
constant,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  exjDect  that  in 
certain  localities  yet  to  be  found  the  quartz  will  be 
sufficiently  auriferous  to  ensure  profitable  working. 
Hitherto  comparatively  little  j^^'^specting  has 
been  done,  and  much  of  what  has  been  done  has 
been  pei'functorily  and  ignorantly  conducted. 
Many  parties  of  .soi-disant  prospectors  have  been 
fitted  out  and  maintained  by  syndicates,  whose 
ideas  of  their  duty  appear  to  be  that  they  are  to 
stick  to  the  main  routes,  lie  under  their  waggons 
most  of  the  day  smoking  or  sleeping,  shoot  an 
occasional  buck,  and  from  time  to  time  offer  a 
blanket  to  some  native  who  will  guide  them  to  an 
old  working,  where  claims  can  be  pegged  out,  and 


2/8  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

possibly  the  regulation  thirty-foot  shaft  sunk.  I 
have  seen  that  a  great  quantity  of  money  has  been 
frittered  away  by  parties  of  this  kind,  and  pros- 
jDecting  such  as  this  cannot  be  taken  into  account. 
Some  few  honest,  intelligent,  laborious  prospectors 
there  are  out  here,  most  of  them  working  for 
themselves,  but  as  yet  these  men  have  been  able  to 
examine  but  a  small  portion  of  the  country. 
Mashonaland  in  area  is  probably  larger  than  the 
United  Kingdom  ;  it  has  only  been  occuj^ied  for 
the  space  of  one  year,  of  which  less  than  six 
months  have  been  available  for  exploration  and 
prospecting  efforts.  Obviously  it  would  be 
hazardous  and  jDremature  to  assert  that,  because 
the  first  gold  discoveries  are  unsatisfactory,  no 
satisfactory  discoveries  will  be  made.  Many 
persons  who  came  out  here  last  year  and  this  year 
supposed  that  fortunes  would  be  made  with  great 
facility,  that  gold  would  be  found  lying  about 
only  waiting  to  be  picked  up,  and  such  arc 
retiring  from  the  country  discontented,  and  23ro- 
nouncing  the  country  to  be  a  delusion  and  a  snare. 
But  nature  is  not  prodigal  of  her  gold.  In  most 
cases,  long  sustained  efforts,  much  patience  and 
perseverance  are  required  to  win  it  from  her,  and 
sometimes  she  conceals  it  so  carefully  that  only 
the  merest  chance  or  accident  leads  to  its  dis- 
covery. History,  tradition,  the  narratives  of  many 
travellers,  strongly  support  the  theory  that 
Mashonaland  is  rich  in  gold,  and  the  probabilities 
are  that  at  some  time  or  other  these  authorities 
will  be  borne  out.     Another  year,  at  least,  of  care- 


Reefs  in  the  Mazoe  River  Valley.       279 

fully    conducted  and    scientific  exploration    must 
elapse  before  any  opinion  altogether  condenniing 
the    mineral   resources   of  j\Iashonaland   could  l)e 
given  with  any  prudence  or  justification.     In  the 
Mazoe  River  Valley  there  are  many  reefs  which, 
while  not  large  enough  or  rich  enough  to  justify 
the  erection  of  extensive  and  elaborate  machinery, 
would  certainly,  in  the  opinion   of  experts,  yield 
a  fair  profit  to  a  miner  with  a  small  capital,  or 
to  a   group    of   such    men,    working    cheaply  by 
their  o^Yll  industry  and  labour.     It   is   probable 
that   by    next   year   the    route    to    Mashonaland 
l)y   the  Pungwe  River   may   Ije  open    and    easy, 
in  which  case  the  cost  of  carriage  of  small  stamp 
batteries   Avould  be   enormously    diminished.     As 
for   the     Hartley    Hill     district,    at     the    present 
moment  I  can  say  nothing  in  its  favour.     Most 
of  the  reefs  there   were  visited    by  the    experts, 
and  fair  samjoles  taken  from  many  parts  of  them. 
The  assays  of  these  samples  show  that  these  reefs 
contain  but  little  gold,  and  that  they  are  of  small 
depth  and  extent.     To  this  there  is  hardly  an  ex- 
ception, and  I  regret  to  write  that  the  assay  of  the 
samples  taken  from  the  "  Matchless  "  mine,  in  which 
I  am  personally  interested,  are  at  present  much 
below  the  mark.     This  district,  however,   is   only 
a  tiny  corner  of  Mashonaland.     Up  to  the  time 
of  my  return  to  Fort  Salisbury  prospects  looked 
gloomy  enough,  and  disappointment  and  discourage- 
ment were  prevalent.     An  improvement,  however, 
occurred.     From  the  Umswezi  River  district  and 
from  the    district    of  Lo-Magundi,  persons    upon 


28o  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

whose  opinion  a  certain  amount  of  reliance  can  be 
jDlaced  liave  sent  in  promising  reports,  Xot  such 
reports  as  woukl  justify  the  assumption  that  im- 
portant gokl  discoveries  have  been  made,  but 
which  seem  to  demand  the  thorough  and  elaborate 
prospecting  of  those  districts.  From  Fort  Victoria 
more  important  news  arrived.  Two  or  three 
large  and  promising  reefs  were  discovered  by 
]3rospectors  known  to  be  experienced,  whose  good 
opinion  of  their  discoveries  had  been  confirmed  by 
a  liigh  authority.  Personally  I  attributed  so  much 
importance  to  this  latest  find  that  I  altered  m}' 
plans  for  the  return  journey  to  the  coast.  Instead 
of  travelling  to  Manica,  inspecting  the  gold-fields 
there,  and  thence  to  Beira,  it  became  my  intention 
to  23roceed  at  once  to  Fort  Victoria,  and  to  reach 
Cape  Colony  by  the  route  through  Bechuanaland. 
This  plan  prevented  me  from  seeing  the  Manica 
district,  in  many  -s^'ays  so  interesting,  the  raiin' 
season  being  within  measurable  distance  and  the 
journey  long.  I  the  less  regretted  this  for  the 
reason  that  at  that  time  no  very  good  reports  of 
the  Manica  district  had  arrived,  nor  had  any  good 
specimens  of  quartz  been  brought  in.  In  the  face 
of  unfavourable  expert  opinion  of  the  uncertainty 
as  to  the  existence  of  any  important  gold-field,  I 
clung  to  the  idea  that  the  country  would  yet  reward 
its  possessors  and  its  earlier  settlers.  On  this 
opinion,  or  fancy,  as  some  would  call  it,  I  acted. 
Unable  to  remain  in  Mashonaland  through  the 
rainy  season  until  next  year,  I  established 
Captain  Williams  and    Mr.  Mackay  at  Fort  Salis- 


A  Personal  Statement.  281 

bury  for  a  further  period  to  watch  and  take  what 
part  they  could  in  the  development  of  the  country. 
j\Ior cover,  I  made  arrangements  for  a  prospecting 
expedition  to  the  Lo-Magundi  district.  In  these 
pages  I  am  aware  I  have  laid  myself  open  to  the 
reproach  of  writing  much  about  myself ;  I  advance 
as  an  excuse — (1)  that  the  personal  proceedings  of 
the  traveller  must  form  a  considerable  part  of  any 
narrative  of  travel ;  (2)  speculation  in  gold  mines  is 
attractive  and  risky.  I  imagine  that  very  many 
persons  at  home  are  greatly  interested  in  this 
country,  and  may  possibly  be  influenced  one  way 
or  another  by  reading  accounts  given  by  one 
actually  in  the  land.  I  fear  by  the  expression  of 
unwarranted  hope  to  excite  speculation  which  may 
be  attended  with  loss  ;  I  fear  by  setting  forth  tin- 
hivourable  opinions  to  deter  speculation  which 
may  be  attended  with  gain.  I  prefer  rather  to 
suggest  than  to  pronounce  opinion,  to  recount  one's 
own  personal  action,  and  those,  be  they  few  or 
many,  who  trouble  to  peruse  this  record  of  travel 
will  attribute  as  much  or  as  little  value  as  they 
please  to  my  suggestions  of  oj^inion,  perhaps 
slightly  increasing  the  value  attributed  when  action 
and  the  general  tendencv  of  opinion  are  found  to 
coincide. 

The  community  settled  at  Fort  Salisbury  is  re- 
inarkable  for  activity  and  enterprise.  Since  my 
first  arrival,  now  two  months  ao-o,  I  observed  a 
noteworthv  increase  in  the  size  and  a  marked  im- 
provement in  the  character  of  the  to^Amship. 
Tents  and  waggon  dwellings    had  rapidly  given 


282  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

place  to  well-coustructed  liuts,  and  these  latter  also 
were  being  to  a  considerable  extent  supplanted  by 
buildings  of  brick,  of  ^vliicli  material  a  fair  quality 
is  beino-  manufactured  here.  Over  three  hundred 
building  stands  had  been  taken  uj)  from  the 
Chartered  Company.  A  building  stand  measures 
100  ft.  by  40  ft.  ;  it  is  Hable  to  a  tax  of  1/.  a 
month.  In  the  first  days  of  the  settlement  the 
company  granted  away  these  stands  without  ask- 
ing for  the  payment  of  any  premium.  As  the 
demand  for  them  increased,  the  prudent  policy  was 
adopted  of  putting  them  up  to  auction,  and  about 
one-third  of  the  total  number  at  this  time  occupied 
were  sold  at  prices  per  stand  ranging  from  11.  to 
100/.  A  well-situated  building  stand  conunanded 
a  good  price.  I  heard  of  one  such,  on  which  had 
been  erected  two  single-roomed  huts  and  a  shed, 
l^eino-  sold  for  500/.  The  enclosure  belonoino-  to 
Messrs.  Johnson,  Heaney,  and  Borrow  is  the  most 
important  and  conspicuous  in  the  settlement. 
Situated  on  the  northern  slope  of  "  the  kopje," 
some  ten  acres  in  extent,  surrounded  by  a  Ioav  but 
massiA'e  dry  stone  wall,  it  contains  large  store- 
houses, stables,  and  sheds  for  cattle,  a  Avorkshop, 
and  a  smithy,  and  is  dotted  at  one  end  with  roAvs 
of  wheeled  vehicles  rano-ino-  iu  size  and  character 
from  the  "  buck  waggon  "  to  the  buggy.  Higher 
up  "  the  kopje,"  among  shady  trees,  is  the  dwell- 
ing-house, mainly  constructed  of  brick,  to  which 
leads  a  broad  and  well-kept  gravel  path.  Here 
also  is  the  commencement  of  a  promising  garden, 
the  only  one  in  the  settlement.     The  whole  place 


Farming  at  Fort  Salisbury. 


283 


is  maintained  in  a  condition  of  extreme  cleanliness 
and  order,  and  may  truthfully  be  described  as  a 
homestead  which  would  be  respectable  in  England 
and  princely  in  Ireland.  The  settlement  in  this 
country  of  the  three  acute  and  enterprising  partners 
Avho  compose  the  firm  alluded  to  above  has  been  a 
fortunate  circumstance  for  the  Chartered  Company. 
Whatever  they  have  done  has  been  well  done. 
Their  homesteads  at  Hartley  Hill  and  at  Unitala, 
in  Manica,  are  similar  in  scale  and  character  to  the 


Messrs.  Johnson,  Heaaey,  and  Borrow"s  rauche  at  Fort  Salidbury, 


one  here  which  I  have  described.  Much  mining 
work  has  been  effected  by  them  on  many  reefs  in 
the  various  known  gold  districts,  and  all  of  it  has 
been  carried  out  in  the  best  possible  manner.  I 
cannot  refrain  from  the  observation  that  in  a  new 
country  such  as  this,  Avhere  one  is  compelled  at 
times  to  notice  overmuch  apathy,  sluggishness,  un- 
reasonable discontent,  and  scandalous  waste  of 
money,  this  firm  has  set  a  bright  example  of  active 
perseverance,  of  intelligent  and  economical  outlay, 
which  encourages  the  formation  of  hopeful  views 


284  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  Sou  fh  Africa. 


on  the  future  of  J\Iushonalaucl.  Agriculture  was 
not  being  neglected.  One  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  farms,  mostly  in  the  neighbourhood,  of  3000 
acres  each  in  extent,  had  been  applied  for  and 
marked  out.  These  are  leased  by  the  Chartered 
Company  at  a  rent  of  5/.  a  year  on  the  condition 
that  within  three  months  the  tenant  shall  have 
commenced  a  beneficial  occupation,  which  means 
a  certain  amount  of  ploughing  and  sowing  of  stock 
and  of  building.  This  completed,  the  farm  is  in- 
spected by  the  Surveyor-General  of  the  Company, 
surveyed,  and  the  title  registered  in  the  Company's 
books.  Of  this  number  of  farms  about  twenty  had 
been  taken  up  by  Boers.  Last  week  at  Fort 
Salisbury  I  found  sj)ecially  interesting,  as  on  four 
days  of  the  week  the  surplus  stock  and  stores  of 
the  expedition  which  I  had  brought  into  the 
country  were  being  sold  off.  Messrs.  Hopley  and 
Papenfu,  assisted  by  ]\Ir.  Slater,  the  leading  auc- 
tioneers here,  conducted  the  sale,  the  result  of 
which  was  to  me  very  satisfactory.  The  total  sum 
realized  amounted  to  2551/.  The  j^rices  fetched 
by  some  of  the  articles  are,  perhaj^s,  worthy  of 
mention.  Timber,  deals,  and  rafters  sold  at  tlie 
rate  of  16s.  Sd.  a  foot,  showins:  the  scarcitv  of  and 
demand  for  o-ood  buildino-  material ;  ten  o-allons  of 
paraffin  oil  fetched  201.,  two  gallons  of  methylated 
spirits  5/.,  sporting  Martini-Henry  and  Winchester 
rifles  went  from  10/.  to  15/.,  two  dozen  pint  bottles 
of  English  ale  and  stout  were  sold  at  Ss.  6c/.  a 
bottle,  and  immediately  afterwards  retailed  at 
6.S.    6(/.    a    bottle,    common   unsifted   Boer   meal 


An  interesting  Auction. 


28s 


fetched  from  8/.  to  9/.  a  bag  weighing  200  lb., 
common  brown  sugar  (very  common)  sokl  at 
upwards  of  35.  a  pound;  butter  at  lis.  a  pound, 
jam  at  4s.  a  pot,  dried  snook  (a  fish  costing  about 
2fJ.  a  pound  at  the   Cape)  sold  at  8.9.  and  9s.  a 


A  restaurant  at  Fort  Salisbury. 

pound,  tinned  hams  fetched  21.  a-piece,  a  bottle  of 
eau-de-cologne  20s.,  cotton  shirts  (price  in  London 
9.y.  Qd.)  were  here  secured  at  33.s.,  a  new  pair  of 
boots  fetched  4/.,  an  old  shooting  jacket  25.y.  This 
enumeration  of  prices  will  show  that  life  at  Fort 
Salisbury  was  somewhat  costly.  Eighty  oxen  sold  at 


286  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa 

about  11.  lO.s'.  a-liead,  donkeys  at  about  3/.  lO.s., 
and  five  waggons  at  about  50/.  a-piece,  or  half  their 
orio'inal  cost.  Money  seemed  to  be  plentiful,  and 
the  biddings  were  sustained  with  great  spirit  over 
four  days  by  a  sm^dl  crowd  without  coats  or  waist- 
coats, and  with  shirt-sleeves  rolled  up  (the  regular 
Mashonaland  morning  and  evening  dress),  and  en- 
livened by  constant  chaff",  joking,  and  general  good 
humour.  There  was  great  competition  for  red 
white-eyed  beads,  which  the  savage  fashion  of 
Mashonaland  prescribed  for  native  attire.  Of 
these  I  fortunately  possessed  a  good  quantity,  and 
there  were  none  and  had  been  none  for  some  time 
in  the  settlement ;  accordingly  they  went  for  12s. 
a  pound,  their  original  cost  price  at  Kimberley 
being  about  Qd.  for  the  same  quantity.  "  Limbo," 
the  coarsest  cotton  material,  manufactured  at  about 
l^d.  a  yard  at  home,  here  sold  for  upwards  of  a 
shilling.  During  this  sale  I  realized  with  some 
reo;ret  that  a  laro;e  and  well-conducted  tradino-  ex- 
pedition  into  this  country  would  have  been  a  far 
more  profitable  speculation  than  gold  prospecting. 
The  public  life  of  the  young  and  interesting  com- 
munity of  Fort  Salisbury  had  early  commenced. 
Some  weeks  before  my  arrival  a  meeting  was  sum- 
moned for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  past 
action  and  the  policy  of  the  Chartered  Company. 
The  meeting  was  largely  attended,  and  the  pro- 
ceedings were  animated,  at  times  stormy.  Dis- 
content had  arisen  mainly  owing  to  the  high  cost 
of  living,  and  to  some  extent  presumably  to  the 
non-discovery    of  rich    reefs.      This    smouldering 


NEARING    THE    END. — THE    SALE    Oi^   THE    SURPLUS    STOCK    AND    STORES    OF    THE 
EXPEDITION   AT    FORT    SALISBURY. 

Pasre  2S3. 


An  Indignation  Meeting.  287 

discontent  a  few  persons  eonsiclei^ed  wise  and  pro- 
fitable to  attempt  to  fan  into  a  flame.     Very  strong 
speeches  were  made  in  denunciation  of  the  Com- 
pany, and  of  certain  of  its  chief  officials,  for  that 
they  had  not  brought  into  the  country  sufficient 
supplies  of  food.     These    speeches   were  adorned 
with  the  most  highly    colloquial  expressions  and 
interjections.      Their    authors     forgot    that    the 
Chartered  Company  was  not  responsible    for  the 
feeding  of  other  than  its  own  employes,  and  that 
if  private  individuals  embarked  on  the  long  journey 
to   Mashonaland   Avith   insufficient   supplies,   they 
had  no  one  but  themselves  to  blame.     The  mining- 
experts,   Messrs.    Perkins   and    Rolker,  were   also 
considered  by  some  of  the  speakers  to  be  responsi- 
ble for  the  poverty  of  the  gold  discoveries ;  Sir 
John  Willoughby,  for  some  equally  illogical  reason, 
was    sharply   censured,    and    the    author  of  these 
pages  held  up  to  odium  on  the  supposition  that  he 
had  enjoyed  certain  special  privileges  with  respect 
to  the  importation    of  alcoholic   liquor,    unjustly 
withheld  from  the  general  body  of  settlers.     The 
case  for  the  company  was  courageously  and  effectu- 
ally set  out  by  one  of  its  representatives  ;  contra- 
dictions on  questions  of  fact  were  briskly  exchanged, 
and  the  lie  was  freely  given  by  one  or  the  qther 
party.     The    proceedings  of  this  meeting   termi- 
nated in  an  orderly  manner  with  the  apj^ointment 
of    a  vigilance    committee    with    unlimited   and 
unknown  powers.     This  popular  commotion  was 
followed  by    great    tranquility.     The    "  vigilance 
committee "  contented  themselves  with  one  inter- 


288  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


view  with  Dr.  Rutherford  Harris,  the  secretary  of 
the  company,  at  which  they  experienced  much 
difficulty  in  sustaining  their  allegations.  Since 
the  interview,  this  formidably  -  named  body 
neo-lected  their  duties,  or  were  afraid  to  exercise 


The  first  horse  race  at  Fort  Salisburv. 


their  vast  powers.  One  or  more  of  the  leaders  left 
the  settlement  and  went  down  country,  curiously 
enough,  just  previous  to  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Rhodes, 
before  whom  one  would  have  thought  they  ^N^ould 
have  been  eager  to  set  forth  their  grievances,  dis- 


Horse- RACING  at  Fort  Salisbury.        289 

play  their  authority,  and  who  would  certainly 
have  been  immediately  intimidated  into  compliance 
^vith  all  their  demands.  But  this  great  oppor- 
tunity of  gaining  glory  and  power  the  "  vigilance 
committee  "  pusillanimously  allowed  to  pass  ;  and 
the  population  of  the  settlement  I  saw  growing, 
progressing,  and  even  prospering  under  the  des- 
potic and  grinding  tyranny  of  less  than  a  dozen 
policemen,  whose  military  duties  kept  them  all 
day  employed  at  the  Fort. 

Horse-racins:  was  inau"'urated  here,  but  under 
circumstances  which  to  mc,  at  least,  did  not  appear 
to  be  very  promising.  I  had  matched  a  horse 
which  I  had  sold  a  few  days  previously  to  beat  at 
even  weights,  over  a  distance  of  five  furlongs,  a 
horse  belonoino;  to  Dr.  Rutherford  Harris.  Mr. 
Slater,  the  oAvner  of  the  horse  I  had  nominated, 
gave  his  consent  to  the  match.  This  horse  was 
three-parts  bred,  and  I  knew  him  to  possess  a  good 
turn  of  speed,  as  more  than  once  I  had  galloped 
after  buck  on  him.  Dr.  R.  Harris's  horse  was  a 
good-looking,  thick-set  brown  cob,  pig  fat.  I  had 
little  doubt  as  to  the  result  of  the  match.  In  the 
afternoon,  at  four  o'clock,  three-fourths  of  the 
population  of  Fort  Salisbury  turned  out  to  see  the 
race.  The  betting  varied  from  six  to  four  to  tAvo 
to  one  on  my  opponent's  horse.  This  somewhat 
alarmed  me.  Mr.  Giftard,  the  manager  of  the 
Bechuanaland  Exploration  Company's  exjiedition, 
was  to  ride  Dr.  Harris's  horse.  Sergeant-Major 
Montgomery  rode  for  me.  To  my  horror  the  horse 
which  I  had  nominated  appeared  on  the  ground 

u 


290  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


■with  drooping  head  and  ears,  glassy  eyes  and 
tucked-up  flanks.  The  other  horse  looked  iDloom- 
ing.  Things  were  getting  very  "  hot."  The 
riders,  having  weighed  out,  were  started  off,  and 
the  unfortunate  animal  which  I  had  matched  to 
be  a  flyer,  tried  in  vain  to  canter  for  fifty  yards, 
and  then  relapsed  into  a  slow  trot,  out  of  which  no 
efforts  of  his  rider  could  move  him.  Dr.  Harris's 
horse  cantered  past  the  winning  post  alone.  I 
believe  a  good  lot  of  money  changed  hands  over 
this  odd  business.  If  Lord  Durham  or  Mr.  James 
Lowther  could  pay  a  flying  visit  here,  horse-racing 
prospects  might  improve.  OtherAvise  there  are 
three  or  four  jockeys  out  of  employment  in  England, 
to  whom  I  can  confidently  recommend  Mashona- 
land  as  a  congenial  sphere  for  the  exercise  of  their 
jDeculiar  talents. 

The  work  of  organizing  the  administration  of 
the  country  proceeds  apace.  Magistrates  have 
been  appointed  for  the  districts  of  Manica,  Victoria, 
Fort  Salisbury,  and  Hartley  Hill.  I  believe  these 
gentlemen  are  invested  with  all  the  power  and 
authority  in  civil  and  criminal  cases  which  is 
exercised  by  a  judge  of  the  High  Court  in  Cape 
Colony.  A  municipal  council  will  soon  be  elected 
for  the  government  of  the  settlement  at  Fort 
Salisbury.  Its  duties  will  be  to  frame  and  enforce 
sanitary  laws  and  regulations  and  to  maintain  the 
local  highways  and  streets.  Half  the  building- 
stand  tax  and  a  doo:-tax  are  amono-  the  sources  of 
revenue  to  be  assigned  to  this  council.  The  police 
force  has  been  reduced  during  the  last  two  months 


Communications  with  the  Outer  World.     291 

fifty  per  cent.  It  now  numbers  330  all  told.  As 
each  policeman  costs  the  company  about  200/.  a 
year,  a  very  notable  economy  has  been  efi'ected. 
The  j)resent  strength  of  the  force  is  probably  still 
much  in  excess  of  Avhat  will  ultimately  be  found 
necessary  for  the  peace  and  order  of  the  country. 
Postal  communication  is  very  slow,  irregular,  and 
badly  managed.  The  mails  are  despatched  from 
Fort  Tuli  in  two-wheeled  waggons,  drawn  by  four 
oxen.  These  cover  a  distance  of  about  four 
hundred  miles  to  Fort  Salisbury,  at  a  rate  of  some 
twelve  miles  a  day.  The  drivers,  taken  from  the 
police  force,  are  under  no  supervision,  and  loiter 
and  dawdle  along  the  road  to  their  heart's  content. 
No  fine  or  censure  is  inflicted  when  they  arrive 
behind  their  time.  It  Avas  reported  that  the  tele- 
graph wire  had  been  laid  into  Fort  Victoria.  This 
work  had  been  carried  out  with  great  energy  and 
at  considerable  cost.  The  contracts  for  extending 
the  telegraph  to  Fort  Salisbury  are  now  being- 
carried  out,  and  probably,  in  about  six  months' 
time,  Fort  Salisbury  will  be  in  telegraphic  com- 
munication with  London.^  A  very  large  and 
adequate  supply  of  provisions  had  either  been 
accumulated  here  by  the  com^jany  or  was  well  on 
its  way  up.  No  fears  of  scarcity  of  food  or  of 
high  prices  during  the  rainy  season  need  be 
entertained.  Already  the  prices  of  all  neces- 
saries had  considerably  fallen  from  the  high 
level  of  a  month  or  six  weeks  ago.  Stores 
had  been  erected  by  the  company  at  the  various 
^  The  work  was  completed  in  February,  1892. 

u  2 


292  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


mining  centres,  where  j^rovisions  could  be  pur- 
cliased  at  comparatively  moderate  cost.  The 
financial  resources  of  the  company  are  respectable. 
The  monthly  taxes  on  the  building-stands  in  the 
townships  of  Fort  Salisbury,  Umtala,  and  Hartley 
Hill,  and  of  the  farming  rents  may  exceed  3000/. 
in  the  coming  year.  A  nice  amount  may  also  be 
expected  from  stamps.  Licences,  moreover,  will 
be  a  fruitful  source  of  revenue.  A  general  trading 
licence  costs  10/. ;  a  hotel  licence  for  the  sale  of 
liquor  in  retail  lOOZ.,  a  bottle  licence  costs  the 
same.  Only  three  liquor  licences  have  been 
granted  in  Fort  SalislDury,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  company  will  curtail,  as  far  as  possible, 
this  source  of  profit.  I  may  mention  that  till 
within  the  last  few  days  whisky  and  brandy  were 
selling  at  from  50s.  to  60s.  a  bottle.  Regular 
hours  of  opening  and  closing  the  liquor  shops  are 
effectually  enforced,  and  the  sale  of  liquor  to 
natives  or  coloured  men  is  prohibited  under  heavy 
penalties.  Speaking  generally  of  the  revenue,  it 
is  anticipated,  and  probably  on  substantial  grounds, 
that,  without  taking  into  account  any  profit  from 
gold  mining,  the  cost  of  the  administration  of  the 
country  during  the  coming  year  will  be  more  than 
covered.  Thus,  as  I  looked  all  round  on  the  eve  of 
my  departure  on  my  journey  south,  I  thought  that 
I  could  see  much  that  was  bright  and  smiling  in 
the  present  condition  of  Mashonaland.  The  ad- 
ministration in  competent  hands.  The  bulk  of 
the  settlers  who  intend  to  remain  on  through  the 
rainy  season  vigorous,  confident,  and  full  of  enter- 


Mr.  Cecil  Rhodks's  Views. 


293 


prise.  The  one  thing  needful  for  the  sure  pros- 
perity of  the  hand  is  the  discovery  of  some  rich 
gokl-iield,  and  probably  the  only  requisites  for  the 
securing  of  this  auspicious  event,  if  it  has  not  been 
already  attained,  are  patience  and  hard  work. 
Mr.   Cecil  Rhodes  arrived  from    Manica  before 


y>t.  nnitXiS    Stcjsac 


FORT  SftLiSBUR^ 


my  departure  south.  His  arrival,  long  expected 
and  long  delayed,  liis  presence  in  the  capital 
settlement,  the  knowledge  that  he  was  engaged  in 
mastering  all  the  facts  and  details  of  the  adminis- 
tration, condition,  and  development  of  Mashona- 
land  served  to  stimulate  the  action  of  authority, 
strengthen    general    confidence,    reanimate  men's 


294  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


minds.  Mr.  Rhodes  formed  a  high  opinion  of 
the  farming  capacity  of  a  large  district  of  high 
veklt  lying  between  this  place  and  Umtala.  No 
physical  difficulties  of  importance,  he  reported, 
need  obstruct  the  construction  of  a  railway  from 
the  coast  to  Manica,  the  ascent  from  the  low  to  the 
high  land  lieing  gradual  and  easy.  Sportsmen  at 
home  may  like  to  know  that  a  prodigious  quantity 
of  game,  big  and  little,  swarms  on  either  side  of 
the  Pungwe  Eiver.  Possibly  after  next  June, 
July,  and  August  these  buffalo,  hippo,  rhino,  and 
buck  of  every  kind,  now  neither  wild  nor  wary, 
will  have  been  frightened  away  into  remote  and 
inaccessil^le  swamps  and  thickets  ;  possil^ly  before 
another  year  is  over  the  silence  of  the  bush  between 
Manica  and  the  coast  will  l)e  disturbed  1)\'  the 
wliistle  of  the  steam-engine,  by  the  axe  or  the  pick 
of  the  navvy,  rather  than  by  the  baying  of  the 
hound  or  the  crack  of  the  hunter's  rifle. 


^=-s. 


C«pr  •T.n*T,5oK 

Of   MfiJEHi-CJ    CLUB  FAn£, 

Wrrn  HiSPftTENI-    nC»mt]«c,£ 
\.(ir,P  ftTEfiCH    COR«eR   OP 


J 


Second  Visit  to  the  Mazoe  Valley.       295 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ON    THE    ROAD    HOME. 

Second  visit  to  the  mines  in  the  Mazoe  Valley — Good-bye  to 
Fort  Salisbury — Bad  roads — The  officials  of  the  Chartered 
Company — Fort  Victoria  once  more — Climate  and  weather 
in  Mashonaland — Gold  discoveries  ronnd  Fort  Victoria — 
My  faithful  savage  "  Tiriki " — We  telegraph  home  from 
Fort  Victoria— Long's  Mine — The  Lundi  Eiver — Bad 
roads  again — Death  of  a  "  salted  horse  " — The  journey  to 
Fort  Tali  a  record  "trek." 

Before  leaving  Fort  Salisbury  I  made,  in  the 
company  of  Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes,  an  excursion  to  the 
Mazoe  Valley.  We  accomplished  the  distance  of 
thirty  miles  to  the  abode  of  the  mining  com- 
missioner in  the  course  of  the  day.  The  road 
going  north  passes  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Hampden 
about  twelve  miles  from  Fort  Salisbury.  Mount 
Hampden  is  an  isolated  kopje  a  thousand  yards  or 
so  in  leno-th,  and  some  five  hundred  feet  hio-h. 
This  "  celebrated  eminence  "  left  behind,  the  road 
quits  the  plain  and  descends  into  broken  and  pic- 
turesque country,  where  hills  are  covered  with  tree 
and  bush,  putting  the  traveller  in  mind  of  the  low- 
lands of  Bavaria.  Following  the  valley  of  the 
Mazoe  river  for  some  distance,  we  arrived  at  the 
"  Alice  and  Susanna  "  reefs,  situated  on  the  right  of 
the  road  about  one  hundred  feet  up  the  hillside^ 
Here  the  quartz  reef,  which  is  being  worked  by  a 


296  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

syndicate  of  the  Exploration  Company,  of  London, 
is  found  to  be  of  a  width  of  two  feet  and  a  half  at 
a  depth  of  fifty  feet.  Samples  taken  at  this  depth 
were  assayed  to  yield,  from  the  Alice  shaft,  twenty- 
one  pennyweights  to  the  ton  ;  from  the  Susanna, 
thirty- three  pennyweights.  The  reef  is  probabl}^ 
too  narrow  to  supply  any  large  stamp  battery,  but 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  nearly  every  reef  in  this 
part  of  Mashonaland  has  "  pinched  out "  or  become 
poor  in  quality  on  going  down,  it  was  satisfactory 
and  encouraging  to  come  across  one  reef  which  at 
a  respectable  depth  held  its  ovm.  On  the  follow- 
ins;  mornino;  at  daybreak  Mr.  Rhodes,  Mr.  Borrow, 
and  I,  rode  eight  miles  through  some  very  beautiful 
hill  country,  to  inspect  the  "  Yellow  Jacket "  reef. 
This  reef  is  very  characteristic  of  the  auriferous 
deposits  in  ]\Iashonaland  vet  discovered.  The  out- 
crop is  seen  to  ascend,  run  along  the  top  of,  and 
descend  a  long  kopje  with  the  utmost  regularity, 
and  this,  tested  along  a  length  of  fifteen  hundred 
feet,  gave  samples  of  the  most  promising  quality. 
These  were  assayed  to  yield  from  two  ounces  up  to 
as  much  as  sixty  ounces  to  the  ton.  It  was  as  fine 
a  gold  mining  prospect  as  could  be  found.  Alas  ! 
the  sinking  of  two  shafts  disclosed  the  mortifying- 
fact  that  at  a  very  small  depth  the  quartz  became 
poor,  and  seriously  diminished  in  c[uantity.  A 
comparatively  large  sum  of  money  had  been  put 
down  for  the  purchase  of  this  reef,  and  the  dis- 
appointment of  the  investor,  who  reasonably 
supposed  that  he  had  secured  one  of  the  finest  gold 
mines  in  the  world,  was  as  great  as  can  be  imagined. 


Good-bye  to  Fort  Salisbury.  297 

A  similar  ill-fortune  pursued  the  same  party  in 
respect  of  another  quartz  deposit  in  the  Mazoe 
district,  by  name  "  The  Golden  Quarry."  Here 
the  actual  crushing,  by  a  small  three-stamp 
battery,  of  t^venty  tons  of  ore,  gave  the  excellent 
result  of  ninety-five  ounces  of  gold.  The  "  Golden 
Quarry,"  however,  was  soon  found  to  be  no  reef  at 
all,  but  only  a  "  blow  out,"  or,  in  other  words,  a 
large  bunch  of  quartz  which  would  be  rapidly 
worked  out.  I  should  doubt  whether,  in  the 
history  of  gold -mining,  two  more  attractive,  more 
deceiving,  more  disappointing  reefs  have  ever  been 
found  than  these  two  which  I  have  written  about. 
We  visited  also  two  other  mines,  the  "  Warrigal " 
and  the  "  Mary  Pioneer,"  which  at  a  depth  of 
thirty  feet  are  of  a  good  width  and  reported  to  be 
of  good  quality,  but  of  these  reefs  no  assays  have 
yet  been  made  on  which  reliance  can  be  placed. 
We  returned  to  Fort  Salisbury  in  the  evening, 
thoroughly  fatigued  by  riding  for  some  hours  and 
by  jolting  in  a  Cape  cart  for  more  hours  on  a  very 
hot  day,  but  having  accomplished  an  enjoyable  and 
instructive  expedition. 

On  Tuesday,  the  20th  of  October,  in  the  after- 
noon, I  said  good-bye  to  Fort  Salisbury.  Two 
months  and  a  week  had  elapsed  since  I  arrived 
there.  My  recollections  of  the  place  will  be  very 
pleasant  and  lasting.  They  will  he  recollections  of 
good  friends,  of  new  and  agreeable  acquaintances, 
of  a  promising  community,  of  a  healthy,  bright, 
and  breezy  locality,  of  quickly  fleeting  hours  of 
amusement,    of    constant    and    varying    interest. 


2q8  Men,  Mtnes,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Though  valueless,  I  cannot  refrain  fr^om  an  expres- 
sion of  my  earnest  wishes  for  the  prosperity  of  the 
place  and  of  the  country  of  which  it  is  the  centre, 
and  while  I  cannot  expect,  I  rashly  allow  myself 
to  hope,  that  hj  these  Avi'itings  I  may  rouse 
in  the  minds  of  people  at  home  some  amount  of 
active  and  abiding  sympathy  for  the  fortunes  of 
this  infant  British  settlement.  My  party  on  leav- 
ing was  a  small  one  compared  witli  that  ^vith  which 
I  arrived.  Mr.  Henry  C.  Perkins  and  Surgeon 
Raynor  had  preceded  me  by  some  days  on  the  road 
south,  travelling  in  the  "spider"  with  a  team  of  eight 
horses.  In  the  company  of  Major  Giles  and  of  Mr. 
Borrow,  I  travelled  in  a  large  covered  vnn  or  coacli 
on  springs,  which  had  been  expressly  constructed 
by  tliat  firm  for  passenger  traffic  along  the  Pungwe 
route  to  Massikessi.  This  coach,  by  extraordinar}' 
efforts  and  at  a  great  sacrifice  of  mules  and  oxen, 
liad  l:)een  brought  along  the  route  from  Beira  to 
Fort  Salisbury  ;  but  the  experiment  had  convinced 
Messrs.  Johnson  and  Co.  that  passenger  traffic 
along  the  Pungwe  river  can  only  be  carried  on 
with  the  aid  of  steam,  and  that  the  tsetse  fly  and  the 
many  poisonous  grasses  and  herbs  which  infest  the 
low  country  are  rapidly  fatal  to  oxen,  mules,  and 
horses.  Consequently  they  were  glad  to  sell  this 
coach,  Avhich  just  suited  me  for  my  long  trek  of 
nine  hundred  miles  down  through  Mashonaland 
and  Bechuanaland.  We  found  that,  in  this  vehicle 
drawn  by  twelve  mules,  we  could  cover  a  distance 
of  thirty  miles  a  day,  without  at  all  overtasking 
the  strength  of  the  team.     The  coach  held  eight 


The  Officials  of  the  Chartered  Company.  299 

persons,  including  drivers,  servants,  and  about 
three  thousand  pounds  weight  of  baggage  and  pro- 
visions. Between  Fort  Charter  and  Fort  Victoria 
the  road  is  in  a  shocking  condition,  much  worse 
than  was  the  case  when  I  travelled  up.  The  heavy 
sand,  which  extends  for  scores  of  weary  miles,  had 
been  terribly  cut  into  by  the  passage  of  numerous 
waggons,  and  progress  over  this  was  hopelessly 
slow.  Where  the  soil  was  harder,  the  protruding 
stumps  of  felled  trees,  huge  boulders  of  rock,  and 
ant-heaps  were  a  constant  source  of  danger  to  a 
vehicle  on  springs.  It  is  certainly  a  great  disgrace 
to  the  administration  of  the  country  that  no  efforts 
liave  been  made  by  it  to  put  this  important  high- 
way in  decent  order.  Tlie  sand,  it  is  true,  is 
incurable,  but  nothing  would  be  easier  than  to 
remove  the  stumps  and  rocks  and  level  the  ant- 
heaps.  The  presence  of  these  results  in  an  immense 
and  unnecessary  wear  and  tear  of  ^vaggons,  and  of 
injury  and  of  loss  of  draft  animals.  The  officials 
of  the  Chartered  Company  had  ready  to  their 
hands,  in  their  police,  a  force  well  qualified  to  make 
and  repair  the  roads.  But  this  force  has,  since  the 
occupation  of  the  country  last  year,  been  main- 
tained in  a  condition  of  complete  and  utter  idleness. 
The  men  are  not  even  made  to  keep  the  forts  and 
the  military  lines  decently  clean.  The  works 
which  have  been  constructed  by  them,  whether  of 
fortification  or  of  dwelling,  are  pitiable,  showing 
neither  design,  skill,  nor  solidity.  The  force  was 
offered  tracts  of  crround  round  the  huts  for  o-ardens, 
but  these  they  have  neglected   even  to  mark  out. 


300  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

They  have  no  military  drill  or  training,  no  shoot- 
ing instruction.  Riding  post  employs  a  small 
number  of  police,  but,  with  this  exception,  while  I 
was  in  the  country,  I  was  wondering  what  this 
most  costly  force  had  done,  what  it  was  doing,  or 
what  it  was  going  to  do.  It  is  true  that  some 
thirty  of  the  company's  police  rendered  a  great 
service  in  routing  the  Portuguese  near  Massikessi, 
but  the  spasmodic  energy  of  a  few  does  not  excuse 
the  normal  sluggishness  and  uselessness  of  the 
many.  Formed  of  much  the  same  material  as 
the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police,  this  force  in 
proper  hands  would  have  been  actively  and  bene- 
ficially employed  on  public  works  all  over 
Mashonaland,  but  I  am  constrained  to  remark  that 
the  contrast  between  the  police  force  of  the 
Chartered  Company  and  the  Bechuanaland  Border 
Police  is  startling  and  deplorable,  the  latter  being 
as  smart,  as  efficient,  and  as  thoroughly  to  be  de- 
pended upon  as  the  former  is  the  reverse.  The 
company  have  wisely  reduced  their  police  from  a 
strength  of  upwards  of  six  hundred  to  one  of  about 
three  hundred  men.  If  they  persevere  in  this 
policy  and  abolish  the  whole  force,  their  financial 
resources  will  be  largely  added  to,  and  no  one  in 
Mashonaland  one  whit  the  worse. ^ 

We  reached  Fort  Victoria  after  many  naiTow 
escapes  from  smash  and  overset,  at  midday  on  the 
26th  October.  The  Aveather  had  become  very  un- 
settled.    On  one  night  the  horizon  all  round  was 

^  The  police  force  has  recently  been  almost  entirely 
aLolished. 


Climate  and  Weather  in  Mashonaland.    301 

loaded  with  thunder  clouds.  The  flashes  of  light- 
ning were  scarcely  even  intermittent,  so  numerous, 
constant,  and  dazzling  were  they,  and  the  thunder 
at  times  appalling.  Fortunately  for  us,  the  place 
of  our  encampment  was  not  within  the  radius  of 
the  storm.  I  found  the  climate  and  weather  of 
Mashonaland  from  the  middle  of  July  to  the  middle 
of  September  to  be  almost  perfect.  Two  or  three 
rainy  days  were  experienced  in  August,  but  as  a 
rule  the  weather  resembled  fine,  warm  summer 
weather  in  England.  The  nights  were^cool  and 
refreshing,  the  morning  and  evening  air  delightful. 
After  the  middle  of  September  the  midday  heat 
became  oppressive  and  sultry.  I'he  thermometer 
would  mark  from  eighty-five  to  ninety  degrees  in 
the  shade.  Every  afternoon  clouds  would  gradu- 
ally cover  the  sky,  and  somewhere  or  other  in  your 
neighbourhood,  if  not  actually  over  you,  a  heavy 
thunderstorm  would  come  down.  These  thunder- 
storms are  disagreeable  and  even  alarming.  One 
of  them  came  over  the  plain  of  Fort  Victoria  on 
the  evening  of  our  arrival.  Accompanied  by  but 
slight  rain,  the  lightning  effects  were  awful.  It 
lasted  the  best  part  of  four  hours,  and  was  followed 
by  two  days  of  raw  damp  wind  and  mist.  Camj) 
life  under  such  circumstances  is  far  from  pleasant. 
The  regular  rainy  season  of  Mashonaland  does  not 
usually  commence  till  January,  but  a  sort  of  fore- 
taste of  the  regular  rains  is  generally  experienced 
for  two  or  three  weeks  at  this  time  of  year,  after 
which  the  weather  settles  again  for  a  time. 
Travellers  going  south  now  become  anxious  as  to 


302  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


the  size  of  the  rivers  and  the  condition  of  the  drifts. 
A  heavy  flood  on  the  Lnndi,  Tokwe,  or  Wanetze 
might  cause  a  delay  of  many  days  in  the  journey. 
The  vicinity  of  the  road  to  Fort  Victoria  has  been 
quite  deserted  by  game  and  by  lions  ;  we  neither 
heard  these  latter  brutes  at  night  nor  any  stories  of 
them.  Our  journey  to  Fort  Victoria  was  without 
incident.  Three  score  waggons  or  more,  laden  with 
meal  and  other  supplies,  were  passed  on  their  way 
up  to  Fort  Salisbury,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  this  year  ample  provision  of  food  of  all  kinds 
for  those  who  remain  in  the  country  during  the 
rainy  season  had  been  made  by  the  company. 
The  large  agricultural  expedition  conducted  by 
Mr.  Van  der  Byl  was  met.  All  seemed  in  good 
heart  and  order,  though  the  sorrow  had  been 
experienced  of  losing  two  of  their  number  by 
death.  Good  reports  of  the  gold  discoveries  round 
Fort  Victoria  abounded  along  the  road,  which 
turned  out  to  be  somewhat  fallacious.  Four  reefs 
we  found  had  been  worked  upon,  two  of  which 
had  developed  some  quartz  of  a  rich  character. 
Not  enough  work  had  been  yet  done  on  these  to 
determine  whether  they  will  turn  out  mines  of 
great  value.  The  locality  abounds  in  massive 
outcrops  of  quartz,  most  of  which  rather  reseinl)le 
"  blow  outs  "  than  regular  reefs.  Comparing  this 
district  with  others  in  northern  Mashonaland,  the 
quartz  here  produced  is  considered  to  be  of  a 
superior  quality,  and  this  district  has  Avhat  is  now 
held  to  be  an  advantage,  that  of  j)ossessing  no 
old  workings.     In  the  earlier  days  of  the  occupation 


A  Faithful  Savage. 


303 


the  one  great  object  with  everyone  m  the  country 
Avas  to  find  an  old  working,  as  it  was  supposed 
that  the  ancient  miners  Avere  unable  to  work  at 
any  depth,  or  to  deal  with  quartz  of  great  hard- 
ness. This  theory  is  probably  erroneous.  The 
ancient  miners  in  all  likelihood  knew  more  about 
their  business  than  tliev  are  credited  with  knowing, 


Tiriki. 


and  the  abandonment  by  them  of  reefs  where  old 
workinas  are  now  found  was  due  less  to  their 
Avant  of  skill  or  knowledge  than  to  the  fact  that 
they  had  worked  out  the  best  of  the  ore. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  October  I  con- 
tinued my  journey  south.  "  Tiriki,"  the  ftiithful 
savage  about  whom  I  wrote  in  a  former  chapter, 
now  departed,  the  kraal  of  his  tribe  being  near. 
He  was  as  good  a  specimen  of  the  savage  as  could 


304  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


be  met  with,  quite  intelligent,  always  cheerful, 
and  willing  to  Avork.  He  entered  my  service  stark 
naked,  but  at  his  departure  had  accumulated  an 
extraordinary    varied  Avardrobe.      Every  cast-ofF 

pair  of  trousers,  drawers, 
boots,  and  shoes,  every 
coat  and  waistcoat 
thrown  aside 
had  been 
carefully  col- 
1  e  c  t  e  d  by 
him,  and  all 
that  he  could 
not  actually 
wear  on  his 
oAvn  person 
was  accumu- 
lated in  an 
old  sack ;  in 
were  also  many 
e  r  treasure  s, 
smashed  pipebowls 
and  stems,  empty 
provision  tins,  ex- 
ploded cartridge 
cases,  and  every  ima- 
ginable odd  and  end.  In  addition  he  took  with 
him  two  blankets,  two  spades,  and  two  golden 
sovereigns  in  lieu  of  the  goats  which  I  had  pro- 
mised him,  but  could  not  procure.  These  two 
latter  he  concealed  away  in  alternate  and  numerous 
coverings  of  bags,  cases,  and  again  bags  and  wrap- 


As  he  arrived. 


"TiRiKi"  AND  HIS  Wardrobe. 


505 


pings.  His  figure  and  appearance  when  he  de- 
parted were  inconceivably  grotesque.  He  is  now 
probably  a  millionaire  in  his  kraal,  has  married 
the  girl  whom  he  has  long  had  in  his  eye,  and  as 
years  go  by  he  will  add 
to  his  wealth  by  selling 
his  daughters,  should  for- 
tune still  attend  him  and 
give  him  female  progeny, 
Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes  arrived 
at  Fort  Victoria  a  week 
after  our 
party,  on  the 
morning  of 
our  departure, 
and  almost 
immediately 
rode  out  to 
the  telegraph 
wire  which 
had  that  morn- 
ing only  been 
bi'ought  with- 


in   two    miles 

of     the     fort. 

As  it  was  all 

on  my  way  I 

joined  him.      The  scene   was   peculiar   and  very 

African.     Amid  waggons,  oxen,  mules,  and  horses, 

piles  of  telegraph  poles,   coils    of  wire,  boxes   of 

insulators,    and     odds  and   ends    of  baggage  and 

provisions    could    be    seen   meandering    a    little 

X 


As  lie  departed. 


3o6   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

green  string  communicating  with  the  waggon, 
which  it  entered,  the  elevated  wire  being  some 
yards  off.  The  operator  was  seated  in  the  waggon, 
where  he  had  installed  his  apj^aratus ;  the 
disselboom  of  the  waggon  served  as  a  desk  for 
the  sender  to  write  out  his  despatches.  So  we 
all  sent  off  messages,  some  to  Cape  To^vn,  some  to 
London,  happy  at  finding  ourselves  once  more  in 
actual  contact  with  home  and  with  friends.  At 
midday  I  finally  got  off,  and  a  distance  of  twenty 
miles  was  accomplished  before  outspanning  for 
the  night.  Fern  Spruit  was  passed — of  evil 
memory  to  me,  as  the  place  where  three  of  our 
horses  had  died  on  the  way  up,  and  where  our 
camp  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire.  Here  we 
picked  up  Major  Giles,  with  the  ox- waggon, 
which  was  to  accompany  us  as  far  as  Tuli. 
Hard  by  Fern  Spruit  is  situated  "  Long's " 
Mine,  from  which  specimens  of  quartz  of  extra- 
ordinary richness  in  gold  have  been  taken.  There 
is,  however,  some  doubt  as  to  whether  the  quartz 
nowbeing  worked  is  a  legitimate  reef  or  is  notrather 
a  "  blow  out."  The  discoverer  and  projDrietor  had 
dug  down  to  a  depth  of  only  eighteen  inches,  and 
seemed  to  be  unwilling  to  risk  the  prospect  of  his 
property  by  prying  deeper  into  the  earth.  I 
expect  he  wanted  to  part  with  his  claims  for  a 
good  round  sum  of  money  to  some  syndicate  or 
speculator,  and  take  his  profit  at  once.  The 
specimens  of  quartz  were  sufficiently  remarkable 
to  seduce  even  the  cautious,  but  with  the  re- 
collection of  the  "  Yellow  Jacket "  and  "  Golden 


A  Pleasant  Prospect. 


307 


Quarry "  still  fresh  in  my  mind  I  passed  on,  not 
even  going  two  miles  out  of  my  way  to  view  the 
mine,  which  had  been  thoroughly  examined  by 
Mr.  H.  Perkins.  The  weather  for  the  first  two 
days  of  our  journey  was  most  agreeable.  The 
air  had  been  cooled,  the  summer  heat  moderated 


The  outspan  ou  the  Tokwe  River. 


by  recent  heavy  thunderstorms,  the  sky  was  over- 
cast y/ith  clouds,  and  travelling  even  at  midday 
was  easy  for  the  teams  and  pleasant  to  ourselves. 
In  appearance  the  bush  had  greatly  changed  since 
I  travelled  up  the  road.  Kow  the  vast  tracts 
of  charred   and   blackened  ground,   the  result  of 

X  2  ' 


3o8   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa 

the  bush  fires,  were  all  covered  with  the  freshest 
and  the  greenest  o-rass.  Almost  all  the  trees  were 
iu  leaf,  some  in  flower,  and  the  lights  and  shado^vs 
on  the  hills,  on  the  rocky  kopjes,  and  on  the  plain 
were  of  wonderful  beauty  and  variety.  We 
reached  the  Lundi  on  the  evening  of  the  22nd. 
This  stream  we  found  greatly  diminished  in 
volume,  and  its  passage  oflJ'ered  no  difficulty.  The 
dano-erous  rocky  drift  of  the  AVanctse  had  been 
much  improved  by  the  relno^'al  of  many  boulders 
from  the  bed  of  the  livcr,  and  this  obstacle  to 
travellers  was  traversed  ^Wthout  mishap  at  sundown 
on  the  third  day  of  the  j  ourney .  From  Fort  Victoria 
to  the  Wanetse  some  effort  has  been  made  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  the  road.  But  a  distance 
of  eighty  miles  exhausted  the  energies  of  the 
Chartered  Company's  i^olice.  iVfter  the  Wanetse 
the  road  relapses  into  a  shocking  condition,  and 
stumps,  rocks,  deep  ruts  everyAvhere  offer  a  pro- 
fusion of  danger  and  discomfort  to  the  traveller. 
Our  progress  was  also  impeded  by  a  marked  change 
in  the  temperature.  The  heat  became  excessive  ; 
no  rain  had  fallen  south  of  the  hills  near  theAVanetse 
river,  dust  enveloped  the  carriages  in  stifling 
clouds,  and  the  myriads  of  flies  almost  amounted 
to  a  plague.  The  poor  mules  and  horses  soon 
showed  the  eflect  of  the  change,  but  their  sufter- 
ings  were  added  to  by  a  total  absence  of  young 
grass  on  which  to  graze  during  the  day,  and  by 
the  long  distances  they  had  often  to  tra^'el  in  the 
great  heat  from  water  to  water.  Most  of  the  spruits 
were  altogether  dry.     One  of  my  horses  succumbed 


A  Waggon  come  To  Grief.  309^ 

to  the  horse  sickness.  This  Avas  a  horse  I  had 
purchased  three  months  before  at  Victoria  for  a 
comparatively  large  sum,  as  he  Avas  reputed  to  be 
a  "  salted  horse,"  and  a  guarantee  against  horse 
sickness  was  given  me  in  his  case.^  I  was  noAV 
entitled  to  the  return  of  the  purchase-money.  On 
the  fifth  day  the  heat  became  so  great  that  we 
had  to  wait  till  dusk  to  accomplish  our  daily 
distance.  No  moon  assisted  us,  and  j^rogress  with 
"  voreloj)ers "  carrying  lanterns  was  Aery  slow.  To 
an  ox  waggon  stones  and  stumps  and  steep  spruits 
offer  little  danger ;  it  plunges  along,  defying  all 
jolts  and  shocks.  But  Avith  carriages  on  springs 
the  greatest  care  has  to  be  exercised,  as  the 
smashing  of  a  wheel,  or  of  a  spring,  or  of  a  clissel- 
boom  is  as  easy  as  it  is  irreparable.  I  should 
mention  that  between  the  Lundi  and  Wanetse  the 
Avaggon  on  springs,  Avliich  Avas  draAvn  by  oxen,  and 
in  Avhich  Major  Giles  A\'as  travelling,  came  to 
aAvful  grief.  OAving  to  careless  driving  in  the 
dark  across  a  nasty  spruit  the  Avaggon  Avas  alloAved 
to  run  U23  a  high  bank  on  one  side  of  the  passage, 
Avdiich  toppled  it  OA'er,  the  team  draAving  the  fore- 
Avheels  and  underbody  of  the  Avaggon  I'ight  away 
from  the  hind  part.  It  took  six  or  scA'en  hours  to 
repair  the  damage  caused  by  this  accident.  Our 
night  trek  brought  us  to  the  Umzingwane,  the  ox 
Avaggon  being  noAV  left  far  behind.  A  fcAv  scanty 
pools  of  brackish  water  in  a  vast  bed  of  dry  sand 
alone  serA^ed  to  indicate  what  is  at  certain  seasons 
a  large  and  rushing  river.  Half-way  between  this 
^  This  was  most  promptly  repaid  by  the  former  owner. 


3io  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


river  and  Fort  Tuli  a  well-filled  and  well-served 
"  wink  el  "  told  us  that  we  had  re-entered  regions 
of  comparative  civilization.  In  spite  of  the  heat, 
now  very  great,  and  of  the  fatigued  condition  of 
our  animals,  we  pressed  on,  impatient  again  to 
reach  Fort  Tuli,  and  also  to  accomplish  a  "  best  on 
record  "  in  the  way  of  a  trek.  This  latter  feat  we 
did  easily,  and  it  will  he  long  before  any  traveller 
compasses  the  distance  between  Forts  Tuli  and 
Victoria  (197  miles)  in  a  shorter  or  in  as  short  a 
period  as  five  days  and  a  half,  the  time  occupied 
by  us. 

Getting  to  Fort  Tuli  seemed  like  coming  home 
ao-ain.  The  trek  into  and  about  Mashonaland,  to 
Avhicli,  on  the  14th  July,  Avdien  leaving  Tuli,  I  had 
looked  forward  with  much  hope  and  some  anxiety, 
had  been  done.  The  truth  about  the  country 
from  many  points  of  view  had  been  fairly  ascei- 
tained.  AVonderful  good  fortune  had  attended  us. 
Hardly  a  moment  of  misfortune  or  real  trouble. 
Not  a  sino-le  moment  of  sickness  or  ill-health  had 
been  experienced  by  any  of  oui*  large  party.  Day 
after  day  had  glided  by  smoothly  and  23leasantly, 
the  gipsy  kind  of  camp  life  had  become  very 
fascinating,  and  we  had  had,  Avhat  Avith  sjDort  and 
mining  explorations,  many  hours  full  of  pleasur- 
able excitement.  Nevertheless,  this  fact  stamped 
itself  somewhat  disappointingly  and  sourly  on  my 
mind,  that  the  great  gold  mine  had  not  been  dis- 
covered either  by  ourselves  or  by  any  other  of  the 
numerous  exploring  parties,  and  that  the  existence 
of  any  great  gold  mine  in   Mashonaland  Avas  still 


A  Record  "Trek."  311 

j^roblematical.     The    Tuli   river  Avas  now  a  vast 
expanse  of  burning  sand,  over  which  the  breeze 
came  nj)on  you  as  if  from  the  mouth  of  a  furnace. 
Little  threads  and  tiny  pools  of  water  might  here 
and  there  with  difficulty  be  detected.     Fort  Tuli 
itself  and  the  suiTOunding  settlement  appeared  in 
exactly  the  same   condition  as  when  I  left  it  two 
months  before.     No  new  huts  had  been  erected, 
no  alterations   or  improvements  made.     No    one 
stays   at  Fort  Tuli  who   can  help   it ;  everybody 
passes    on    northwards.      The    strong     force     of 
Bechuanaland    Border  Police,   under  Sir  F.  Car- 
rington    and   his    officers,    who    made    the   f)lace 
rather  lively  three  months  before,  had  retired  to 
Macloutsie,  in    their    own    territory.     Some   200 
men  of  the  Chartered  Company's  |)olice  are  now 
here,  but  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine  what 
useful  occupation  they    are  engaged    in.     ]\Iajor 
Giles  brought  his  ox  waggon  into  Tuli  in  the  early 
morning  of  the   6th  November.     He  had  accom- 
plished a  still  more  remarkable  "best  on  record " 
in  the  way  of  a  trek  than  mine  had  been  with 
mules ;  for  with  oxen  he  had  covered  the  distance 
in  exactly  seven    days,   or,  in   other  words,  had 
travelled  at  the  rate   of  twenty-nine  miles  a  day. 
So  well  were  the  oxen  looking,  so  little  exhausted 
by  their   work,    that    I  sold  the    whole    span    of 
eighteen  on  the  day  of  their  arrival  at  Tuli  for  8/. 
a  head.     I  write  about  these  treks,  for  trekking  is 
a  subject  of  great  interest  in   South  Africa,  much 
rivalry  and  emulation  exists  among  trekkers,  and 
rapid  journeys  are  announced,  described,  disputed. 


312   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  x-^frica 

canvassed,  and  criticized  with  infinite  freedom 
and  fnlness.  From  this  place  I  was  to  proceed  to 
Macloutsie,  and  from  thence  to  Pahipye,  where 
resides  Khama,  the  redoubtable  Bechuana  chief. 
From  Palapye  a  few  days'  drive  Avould  bring  me 
through  Mafeking  to  Yryburgh,  where  waggons, 
tents,  "  boys,"  naked  savages,  will  be  all  forsaken 
for  comfortable  railway  carriages,  civilized  hotels, 
daily  newspapers,  and  other  similar  inestimable 
blessings  which  the  traveller  in  wild  parts  of  the 
earth  gets  on  so  well  without,  and  yet  is  always 
for  a  time  glad  to  return  to. 


Our  Method  of  Travelling. 


5^6 


1 


CHAPTER  XX. 


Oar  mctlioel  of  travelliug — Welcome  and  entertainment  by  tlie 
Bechuanaland  Border  Police  at  Macloutsio — Palapyc,  the 
capital  town  of  Cliief  Kliaraa — LoLengaela,  King  of  the 
Matabele — Meditated  flight  of  all  his  tribe  and  belongings 
— The  Bcoliuanaland  Exploration  Company — Conversa- 
tion with  Khania,  Paramount  Chief  in  the  Protectorate — 
Palla  Camp— The  journey  to  Mafcking — With  INIr.  Rhodes 
at  Kimberley — The  Agricultural  and  Mineral  Resources  of 
the  Transvaal — i\Iy  advice  to  young  Englishmen. 

The  journey  from  Tuli  to  Kiml^erlcy  was  per- 
formed by  our  party  rapidly  from  a  South 
African  point  of  view.  Mules  and  horses,  some- 
what refreshed  by  a  rest  of  two  days,  were  in- 
spanned  an  hour  before  daybreak  on  the  Ttli 
November.  Macloutsie  ^vas  reached  at  midday  on 
the  9th  after  a  pleasant  drive  in  fine  vveathcr 
through  an  attractive  country  along  a  compara- 
tively decent  road.  Our  method  of  travelling 
was  as  follows.  Aroused  at  about  half-past  three 
in  the  morning,  the  preparation  of  the  coffee  and 
the  packing  of  the  coach  and  "  spider  "  occupied 
the  best  part  of  an  hour.  After  trekking  for  two 
hours  and  a  half,  an  outspan  of  an  hour  was 
necessary  for  the  animals,  and  a  light  brcakftist  for 
ourselves  was  generally  a  welcome.     Then  another 

^  This  chapter  was  written  two  months   after    the  author's 
return  to  England.     Hence  its  title. 


314  Men,  Mines,  and  Aniimals  in  South  Africa 

tAvo    or   three   hours'    trek    brought    us    to   our 
midday   halt.     This   lasted    three,    four,  or    five 
hours,  according  to  the  heat  of  the  day.     If  the 
temperature  Avas  moderate,  we  generally  contrived 
to  manage   three   afternoon  treks  ;  but   often  on 
the  road  south,  the  heat  at  midday  was  so  great 
and  the  sand  so  heavy  that  only  two  treks,  and 
sometimes  only  one,  could  be  accomplished.     The 
midday     outspan    was    occupied     with    bathing, 
toilette  and  ^preparation  of  dinner.     Our  cook  had 
been  dismissed  at  Tuli,  and  the   kitchen  depart- 
ment had  fallen  into  my  hands.     No  very  great 
variety  in   our   repast   was    obtainable.     Mutton 
boiled,  baked,  or  curried,   tinned  soups,  excellent 
when  flavoured  with  Harvey  or  Worcester  sauce, 
"bully  beef,"    preserved  vegetables,  compose  the 
daily   meal.     Fresh   vegetables   and    fresh   bread 
Avere  sadly  missed,  but  the  former  were  not  to  be 
procured,  and  none  of  us  had  acquired  the  art  of 
baking  break.     At  times  these  midday  halts  were 
enjoyable  when  we  were  fortunate  enough  to  hit 
upon  a  pleasant  locality  on  the  banks  of  a  river 
and  under  shady  trees.     But  when,  as  was  often 
the  case,  water    and  shade  were  conspicuous  l)y 
their  absence,  when  one  was  melted  by  the  heat 
and  persecuted  by  the  flies,  passing  the  hours  was 
weary  work,  and   the    cool   of  the    evening  was 
anxiously   longed   for.     Between   eight   and  nine 
p.m.  the  day's  journey  terminated,  thirty  to  forty 
miles    having    been   generally    accomplished.     A 
rough  supper  hastily  bolted,  a  still  more  hurried 
retirement   to    bed,  five   brief  hours   of  slumber 


Welcome  at  Macloutsie.  315 

jDrepared  lis  for  another  day's  journey.  So  for  the 
best  part  of  three  weeks  we  travelled,  and  hard 
travelling  I  found  it  to  be.  Sleep  during  the  day- 
time the  flies  never  for  an  instant  permitted.  Our 
two  servants  were  worked  to  death  ;  the  constant 
unloading  of  the  carriages  for  food  or  dressing  for 
the  nitrht,  the  constant  hllinir  and  rcfillinii  of  the 
waterbuckets,  sometimes  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile 
having  to  be  traversed  for  this  purpose,  made  the 
day's  toil  A'ery  heavy  for  them.  Moreover  at 
every  outspan  the  horses  and  mules  were  a  subject 
of  anxious  care  and  observation.  If,  on  being  re- 
leased from  the  harness,  they  at  once  rubbed  them- 
selves heartily  in  the  dust  or  sand  and  commenced 
to  graze,  then  all  ^vas  well,  but  if  they  stood  about 
or  lay  down,  and  were  disinclined  to  feed,  then 
well-grounded  fears  of  a  breakdown  without  a 
chance  of  assistance  prevented  us  from  lieing  at  all 
happy  or  cheerful.  Before  our  arrival  at  Palla 
camp  we  had  several  bad  half  hours  on  this 
account. 

At  Macloutsie  we  experienced  the  most  hospi- 
table welcome  and  entertainment  from  the  officers 
of  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police  who  have  their 
headquarters  here.  The  situation  has  been  skil- 
fully selected  both  as  regards  strategic  or  sanitary 
conditions.  The  camjD  occupies  a  small  elevated 
plateau,  and  overlooks  and  commands  the  surround- 
ing bush.  No  traveller  can  fail  to  be  struck  by 
the  exceeding  cleanliness  and  order,  as  well  as  by 
the  excellent  construction  of  the  quarters  of  the 
officers  and   men.     It  would  be  difficult  to  speak 


3i6  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

too  highly  of  this  force.     Xo  drinking,  no  idleness, 
no  slovenliness  can   be  detected ;    in  this   lonely 
spot,    fiir    away  from   civilization,  day  after  day, 
throughout  the   long   year,  the  members  of  this 
force  manage  to  occupy  all  their  time  and  to  keep 
themselves    in    an     irreproachable    condition    of 
efficiency  and  smartness.     ]^o  duty  or  errand  is 
repugnant  to  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police.     A 
j)rivatc  will  start  off  to  ride  two  or  three  hundred 
miles  through  the  bush  with  nothing'  but  a  haver- 
sack  containing  biscuit  tea  and  coffee,  and  a  small 
patrol  tin.     So  the  whole  force  Avould  march,  if 
necessary,  Avithout  tents,  baggage  or  impedimenta 
of  any  sort  or  kind.     A  wonderful  esprit  de  corps 
animates  them.     Two  of  the  officers  had  just  re- 
turned when  I  arrived,  from  a  ten  days'  prowl  all 
by    themselves    right    into    Lobengula's  country, 
entered  upon   23artly  for  survey  ^^urposes,  partly 
for  the  obtaining  of  information :  a  service  by  no 
means    devoid   of  peril   performed   in    the   most 
light-hearted    but    effectual   manner.       Here   we 
tarried   a  night  and    a    day,    lodged    in  comfort- 
able huts  and  cheered  by  the  comparative  luxury 
of  a   well-kept  mess.     Major  Gould  Adams,  the 
commanding  officer,   was  in  hospital,  recovering, 
we  were  happy  to  learn,  from  a  serious  and  pro- 
tracted attack  of  fever,  contracted  proljably  when 
guarding  the  drifts  of  the  Limpopo  against  the 
Boer    trekkers.      Captain   Sitwell    displayed    the 
efficiency  of  his  force  in  a  field-day  performance 
specially  ordered  for  our  benefit  and  instruction. 
Some  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  mounted  on  small 


II 


A  Field  Day.  317 


wiry  horses  in  first-rate  condition,  scoured  the  bush 
at  a  gallop,  to  detect  the  j^resence  of  an  enemy  re- 
jDorted  to  be  advancing  from  the  north.  Flying 
across  the  country  in  open  order,  they  yet  in 
obedience  to  bugle  calls  from  time  to  time  with 
marvellous  rapidity  contracted  their  line  of 
advance.  A  small  infantry  detachment,  drao-o-inn- 
with  it  a  Gatling  or  a  jMaxini  gun,  hurried  along- 
after  the  mounted  men  at  their  best  speed  over 
very  rough  ground.  At  length  from  an  eminence 
the  foe  was  descried.  The  men  dismounting,  fire 
repeated  volleys,  the  ]\Iaxim  and  Gatling  pour  out 
a  destructive  torrent  of  projectiles,  and  now  comes 
up  at  a  gallop  a  7  lbs.  field-piece  drawn  by  six 
horses,  which  quickly  unlimbered  looses  ofi"  round 
after  round  of  shell  and  shrapnell.  The  targets 
which  represent  the  foe  afterwards  examined  betray 
the  skill  and  accuracy  of  riflemen  and  gunners 
alike.  I  doubted  not,  after  witnessing  this  per- 
formance, that  should  Lobengula  take  it  into  his 
head  to  make  a  raid  into  the  Protectorate,  he 
will  encounter  from  the  Bechuanaland  Border 
Police  an  uncomfortably  "svarm  rece^^tion.  We 
were  sorry  to  say  good-bye  to  our  hospitable 
hosts  of  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police  at 
Macloutsie  ;  but  having  still  OA'cr  four  hundred 
miles  before  us,  we  were  compelled  to  hurry  on. 
Major  Gould  Adams  most  kindly  lent  me  six 
fresh  mules,  which  replaced  three  horses  and  three 
mules  which  I  was  obliged  to  leave  here.  Two  of 
these  horses  so  left,  died  of  horse  sickness  almost 
immediately  after  our  departure.     I  never  heard 


3i8   Men,  Mines,  AND  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


what  became  of  tlie  other  animals.  The  journey 
from  Macloutsie  to  Palapye  occupied  four  days. 
The  country  traversed  was  in  parts  most  attractive, 
but  the  mid-day  heat,  the  swarms  of  flies,  and  the 
heavy  sand  through  which  we  had  to  labour  were 
found  exhausting  to  the  teams  as  well  as  to  the 
travellers.  The  last  thirty  miles  of  road  into 
Palapye  is  mostly  of  a  temble  character.  The 
wheels  of  the  carriages  sink  into  the  sand  up  to 
the  axles,  while  the  road  is  obstructed  by  boulders 
and  rocks  of  every  description  and  size,  many  of 
which,  concealed  by  the  sand,  cannot  be  avoided, 
and  the  consequent  jolting  and  straining,  and  peril 
to  springs  and  wheels,  is  great.  Some  hours  of 
this  journeying  on  a  very  hot  day  took  it  out  of 
us  all.  When  Palapye  was  reached  about  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  13th  Novemlier, 
the  mules  in  the  teams  of  either  carriage  could 
scarcely  stir  a  limb.  A  twenty-foui*  hours'  rest 
was  imperative.  Palapye,  the  capital  of  Kliama, 
chief  of  the  Bangmangwato,  and  paramount  chief 
in  the  Protectorate,  stands  on  an  elevated  plateau. 
It  is  probably  the  most  thickly  populated  native 
to^vn  in  South  Africa.  Groups  of  native  huts, 
closely  packed,  built  without  order  or  alignment, 
sheltering  upwards  of  thirty-five  thousand  souls, 
straggle  away  in  every  direction  as  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach.  A  large  patch  of  gi'een  sward,  sur- 
rounded by  lofty  trees  and  covered  with  animals, 
poultry  and  children,  reminds  one  strangely  of  an 
English  village  green.  The  inhabitants  are  all 
well-clothed,   ^A-ear  a  prosperous  appearance,  and 


1 


A  Powerful  Chief.  319 

pay  but  little  attention  to  the  white  traveller  or 
})assing  ox-waggons.  No  alcoholic  drink  is  per- 
mitted by  Khama  to  iind  its  way  into  his  territoi'ies 
or  under  any  circumstances  to  be  sold  in  his  towns. 
The  penalties  for  violating  this  law  are  most  severe, 
and  are  severely  enforced.  Constant  raids  by 
Ivhama's  police,  sometimes  led  by  Khama  in 
person,  swoop  down  upon  all  prostitutes  and 
immoral  persons,  who  are  forthwith  banished  from 
the  to^vn.  Khama  governs  justly  and  severely,  but 
without  cruelty.  Human  life  is,  I  believe,  never 
taken.  His  authority  is  purely  despotic,  undis- 
puted, unrestrained,  but  exercised  with  wisdom 
has  secured  for  him  the  affectionate  respect  of  his 
people.  He  is  the  most  powerful  chief  in  South 
Africa  with  the  exception  of  Lobengula,  King  of 
the  Matabele,  nor  would  it  be  possible  to  predict 
w4th  any  assurance  the  result  of  a  conflict  between 
these  two  potentates.  The  soldiers  of  the  Matabele 
army  are  possibly  more  brave  and  ferocious  tlian 
the  Bangmangwato,  but  the  latter  possess  a  con- 
siderable advantage  in  their  numbers  of  mounted 
warriors,  of  which  the  Matabele  are  entirely 
destitute.  In  the  event  of  Lobengula  attacking 
the  British  settlers  in  ]\Iashonaland,  Khama  could 
almost  certainly  be  persuaded  to  go  at  him  and  to 
effect  a  powerful  diversion.  Khama  and  the 
British  Government  have  reciprocally  benefited 
each  other.  The  Protectorate  was  submitted  to 
and  English  authority  acknowledged  without 
resistance,  mainly  owing  to  the  friendly  attitude 
of  Khama.     On  the  other  hand,  his  authority  has 


320  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


been  strengthened  by  British  assistance  and  good 
offices,  and,  confident  in  British  support,  he  no 
longer  fears  his  enemy  Lobengula.  As  to  the 
probable  conduct  of  Lobengula  in  the  future, 
I  procured  some  interesting  information  from 
an  English  gentleman  long  resident  at  Pala- 
pye,  whose  father  dwells  at  Baluwyo.  In  his 
opinion  Lobengula  has  long  meditated  a  flitting 
with  all  his  tribe  and  belongings,  into  the  country 
north  of  the  Zambesi,  uhere  he  calculates  to  carry 
on  with  ease  an  unrestrained  and  exterminating 
war  of  conquest.  The  great  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  this  policy  is  the  transportation  of  the  immense 
herds  of  cattle  and  sheep,  the  property  of  the 
monarch  and  his  people,  across  the  broad  and  rapid 
Zambesi.  But  my  informant  thought  that,  as 
white  settlers  and  merchants  multiplied,  and  as 
British  influence  and  domination  increased,  Loben- 
gula would  get  more  and  more  uneasy,  more  bent 
and  resolute  on  his  policy  of  migration  towards  the 
north.  But  my  informant  felt  certain  that  before 
any  such  migration  actually  took  place,  Loben- 
gula would  make  himself,  or  would  alloAv  his  young 
men  to  make,  a  last  dying  effort  as  it  were  against 
the  white  people,  when  much  bloodshed  and 
massacre  might  occur.  It  is  not,  however,  likely 
that  the  British  authorities  will  not  obtain  ample 
notice  beforehand  of  the  imminence  of  any  such 
attack.  Khama  possesses  in  his  rival's  city  many 
and  various  channels  of  sure  information.  Nor  are 
the  Administrator  of  Bechuanaland  or  the  police 
force  by  any  means  poorly  provided   for  in  this 


The  Bechuanaland  Exploration  Company.  ^21 


respect.  But  I  expect  that  for  a  long  time  yet  it 
will  be  necessary  for  the  British  settlers  in 
Mashonalancl  and  north  of  the  Crocodile  river  to 
exercise  the  utmost  caution,  not  only  as  to  their 
conduct  towards  the  Matabele,  but  also  as  to  the 
preparation  of  measures  for  concentrated  resistance 
in  the  event  of  an  outbreak  of  savage  fury. 

The  Bechuanaland  Exploration  Company,  whicli 
does  a  large  and  profital)le  trading  business 
throughout  these  parts  of  Africa,  has  its  northern 
headquarters  at  Palapye.  From  their  agents  we 
experienced  the  utmost  kindness  ;  nor  among  the 
least  of  the  luxuries  they  offered  was  a  brandy  and 
soda,  Avliich,  besides  Ijeing  the  first  I  had  been  able 
to  get  for  many  weeks,  Avas,  to  a  traveller  suffocated 
by  heat  and  choked  by  dust,  sweeter  than  any 
heavenly  nectar.  I  must  add  that  the  brandy 
bottle  was  produced  from  a  recess  under  the  bed, 
in  one  of  tlie  huts  occupied  by  the  agent,  where, 
in  deference  to  Khama's  teetotal  proclivities,  it  was 
carefully  concealed.  Xor  can  I  omit  to  mention 
another  great  luxury  here  enjoyed  for  the  first 
time  for  more  than  fixe  months,  to  ^vit,  a  night's 
repose  between  a  pair  of  sheets.  The  Bechuana- 
land Exploi'ation  Company  have  here  a  large  and 
Avell  supplied  store,  Avhere  we  procured  many 
articles  of  which  we  stood  in  need.  In  the  morninir 
I  witnessed  a  curious  spectacle.  Many  lumdreds 
of  Khama's  people  who  had  been  employed  by  the 
Soutli  African  Chartered  Company  during  a  period 
of  four  months  in  laying  the  telegraph  wire  through 
Mashonaland  were  now  paid  off.     A  large  quantity 

y 


322  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

of  gold  and  silver  coin  had  been  brought  up  by  an 
officer  of  the  Bechuanaland  Border  Police  Irom 
Mafeking,  and  was  by  him  distributed  to  this 
immense  crowd  with  the  utmost  order,  accuracy, 
and  (general  content.  Some  of  the  sub-chiefs 
receiyed  yery  considerable  sums  of  money  irom 
their  jDcople,  ranging  as  high  as  150/.  The  store  did 
a  roaring  trade,  and  till  eyening  the  natives  kept 
passing  our  encampment  on  their  way  home,  laden 
with  blankets  and  beadh,  and  very  many  I  noticed 
carrying  brand-new  Martini-Henry  I'ifles.  Palapye 
is  a  great  emporium  for  horns,  skins,  karrosses,  and 
native  curios,  and  I  added  some  fine  specimens  of 
these  former  articles  to  the  collection  I  had  already 
formed  in  Mashonaland.  In  the  evening  of  the 
14th  November,  aljout  liall'  an  hour  prior  to  our 
departure,  my  servant  came  to  inform  me  that  the 
chief  Khama  had  come  to  visit  our  encampment. 
I  hurried  to  welcome  him,  and  found  myself  in  the 
presence  of  a  tall,  slight  man  of  apjDarently  about 
forty  years  of  age.  Khama  is,  I  believe,  a  good  deal 
older.  He  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  woollen  stuff  of 
English  make,  and  looked  like  a  coloured  manager 
of  a  factory  in  India,  or  of  a  cotton  i:>lantation.  A 
very  intellio-ent  countenance,  an  a"'reeable  and 
kind  expression,  an  erect  attitude  and  dignified 
manners  mark  the  monarch,  the  minister  and  the 
father  of  the  people.  Oiu'  conversation  on  com- 
monplace topics,  lasting  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
was  carried  on  by  the  interpretation  of  Mr.  Seeker, 
agent  of  the  Bechuanaland  Exploration  Com- 
pany.    At  the  close  Khama   o-raciously  intimated 


1 


Conversation  with  Khama.  323 

that  lie  Avoiild  like  to  make  me  a  present,  ami 
inquired  if  I  would  accept  one.  I  replied  that 
any  memorial  of  him  would  be  most  welcome  and 
^'aluable  to  me  ;  he  then  took  his  leave,  galloping  off 
on  a  fine  bay  horse  which  he  rode  with  grace,  fol- 
lowed by  his  equerry,  and  looking,  I  thought,  in 
that  position  a  king  all  over.  Shortly  after  a 
messeno-er  arrived,  bi'inoinii"  me  from  the  chief  a 
large  karross,  made  oi'  leopard  skins  of  a  quality  and 
fineness  such  as  a  great  chief  would  alone  possess 
or  be  able  to  procure.  I  sent  Khama  in  return  a 
large  silver  flask,  which  I  told  him  was  my  "  water 
bottle,"  and  which  I  hoped  he  might  sometimes  use 
in  his  hunting  expeditions,  as  a  souvenir  of  an 
English  traveller  and  friend.  Then  we  departed 
for  Palla  Camp.  The  road  leaving  Palapye  for  the 
South  is  even  w^orse  on  account  of  deep  sand  and 
rocks  than  the  approach  before  mentioned.  To 
save  our  mules  during  a  trek  of  twenty  miles  through 
this  ground,  we  had  inspanned  into  the  "spider"  and 
coach  two  teams  of  oxen.  All  through  the  night 
we  travelled,  our  mules  driven  along  slowly  behind 
at  their  ease.  At  daybi-eak,  after  an  outsijan,  we 
resorted  to  our  mules,  now  much  rested  and 
refreshed,  and  made  good  progress  through  some 
beautiful  bush  country,  until  at  noon  on  the  ITtli 
November  Ave  reached  Palla  Camp.  Here  is  a 
telegraph  station,  a  small  police  detachment  and  a 
good  store.  Leaving  Palla  early  the  next  moiiiing, 
about  10  a.m.  we  met  the  up-country  mail,  in  which 
was  Mr.  Hai-ber,  the  mail  superintendent  of  the 
Bechuanaland    Exploration    Company,    who    had 

Y    2 


324  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 

been  very  kindly  sent  by  the  agents  of  the  com- 
pany, to  take  charge  of  our  party  from  here,  and 
to  supply  us  with  fresh  relays  of  mules.  At  first 
when  reaching  the  post  stations,  Mr.  Harber  could 
only  provide  an  occasional  fresh  mule,  and  we  toiled 
along  rather  wearily  and  very  slowly,  oAving  to  the 
heavy  sanrl,  to  Machudi's  Kraal  or  Lcnchwe,  as  it 
is  sometimes  called.  On  the  day  l)efore  reaching 
this  place,  Mv.  Harber  and  I  saw  from  the  "  spider  " 
ahead  of  us  a  large  snake  lying  in  the  I'oad.  Out 
we  jumped,  I  with  my  revolver  he  with  a  fui'mid- 
able  ''  sjamljok  "  to  sla\'  the  I'cptile.  This  snake 
made  oft' into  the  ])ush,  with  such  celerity  and  such 
twistinu's  that  1  discharued  all  tlie  barrels  of  mv 
revolver  at  it  in  Aaiii.  Mr.  Hai'ber,  however, 
arrested  its  progress  with  a  bloAv  from  the  thong  oi" 
the  sjaiiil)()k.  It  i-eared  up.  opening  wide  its 
mouth  at  us  and  hissing,  a  gi'aiid  object.  Fortu- 
nately, owing  to  the  length  of  the  sjambok,  it  could 
not  reach  Mr.  Harbei'.  Avho  almost  immedi- 
atel)'  hiid  it  h)\v  -with  a  Avell-directed  blow, 
the  thoijg  catching  it  tight  round  the  neck. 
A  bite  IVum  this  most  Aenomous  of  African 
snakes  M^ould  lune  been  certainh'  fatal  in  less 
than  an  hour.  It  Avas  a  putt-adder  of  innnense 
size,  measuring  seven  feet,  Avith  a  1)ody  thicker 
than  my  wrist.  At  ^Machudi's  a  native  kraal,  in- 
habited by  a  tribe  only  second  to  Khamas  in  in- 
fluence and  numbers,  and  governed  l)y  a  chief  of 
evil  I'cputation,  our  tra\-el  ti-onl)les  terminate(h 
Here  our  heavy  coach  Avas  to  l)c  left.  ]\rajo]"  Giles 
and    the    doctor   Avoidd    travel    in    a   smaller  and 


II 


Arrival  at  Mafeking. 


lighter  vehicle,  which,  together  with  the  "  spider," 
was  to  he  taken  along  from  here  entirely  l)y  the 
company's  teams.  AVe  reached  Machudi's  not  a 
moment  too  soon  ;  our  own  animals  could  nothavc^ 
gone  another  yard  without  a  rest  of  sevei-al  days. 
But  it  seemed  as  if  fote  was  against  us.  Tlie  river 
Kotwani  here  to  l)e  traversed  was  found  hio-h  in 
flood  and  j^erfectly  impassable,  in  which  state  it 
might  remain  for  a  week  or  more.  I  went  to  hed 
with  a  heavy  heart,  anxious  about  the  future  of 
our  journey  south.  In  the  morning  I  was  cheered 
by  the  news  that  the  river  had  rapidly  subsided, 
and  that  Mr.  Rhodes  and  liis  party,  also  l:)eing  con- 
veyed ])y  the  Bechuanaland  Exploration  Compan}-, 
had  passed  us,  crossed  the  river,  and  gone  on  in  the 
night.  From  here  we  proceeded  rapidly  and  gaily, 
finding  fresh  teams  of  mules  every  two  or  three 
hours,  passing  through  Ga1)erones,  a  station  of  the 
Bechuanaland  Border  l?olice,  where  we  received 
the;  usual  most  l^ountiful  hospitality,  through 
Ramoutsa,  an  important  post  statiou,  across 
beautiful  green  pastures,  through  succeeding  forest 
wood  and  bush,  everytliing  looking  bright  and 
verdant  aud  glistening,  owing  to  recent  heavy 
rains,  through  Ramatlabama  on  to  our  goal, 
Mafeking,  Avliich  we  reached  in  the  afternoon  of 
Monday,  the  23rd  Xo^'ember. 

At  ]\Iafeking,  Dixon  s  Hotel,  an  establishment  of 
the  greatest  merit,  soon  enabled  us  to  forget  the 
troubles  and  fatigues  of  our  long  journey  of  a 
thousand  miles  from  Fort  Salisbury.  The  railway 
will  soon  be  extended  to  this  pleasant  and  atti'activc 


326  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


settlement.  •  It  lies  in  the  centre  ut  a  boundless 
grassy  plain,  at  tins  time  of  year  (Xo\'eml)er)  very 
green  and  fertile.  Beclnianaland  is  destined,  I 
imao'ine,  in  time  to  become  the  iz'reat  ranchino- 
ground  of  South  Africa.  Skilful  engineering  in 
the  placing  and  making  of  dams,  A\'()uld  hy  storage 
overcome  the  only  ohstacle,  ^'iz.  the  scarcity  of 
water.  We  had  to  remain  at  Mafeking  two  days. 
A  dri^•e  of  one  hundred  mih's  still  separated  us 
from  yj-\'l)urg,  the  railway  terminus.  Thej)assage 
of  Mr.  Khodes  and  his  part)'  had  absorbed  the 
coaching  resources  of  the  Bechuanidand  Explora- 
tion Company.  The  mail  service  u])  country  as 
far  as  Tuli  is  excellently  carried  on  l)y  this  company. 
Passengers  are  also  conveyed  by  them,  the  distance 
from  Vryburg  to  Tuli,  upwards  of  five  hundred 
miles,  being  comj)assed  1)}'  the  mail  coach  in  less 
than  eight  days.  The  company  have  large 
numbers  of  mules,  all  kept  in  first-rate  condition, 
and  ha\'e  constructed  post  stations  at  intervals  of 
tAventy  miles  along  the  I'oad,  where  are  wells  and 
stores  of  foraa'e.  If  I  were  li'oinfi:  airain  to  Foi't 
Salisbury,  I  should  make  arrangements  with  this 
comjjany  for  ni}'  journey,  instead  of  resorting  to 
the  large,  very  costly  and  cumbrous  expedition 
which  ignorance  of  the  country  let  me  in  for.  A 
traveller,  by  making  use  of  tlie  present  mail 
service  and  by  prociuing  fi'om  the  company  a 
special  service  north  of  Fort  Tuli,  could  journey 
from  London  toFort  Salisl)nry  and  back  in  a  period 
of  four  months.  Of  course  il"  the  Beira  l^ungwe 
railway    were    constructed    the  journey    could   be 


With  Mr.  Riiodf,s  at  Kimrerlev. 


y^j 


accoinj^lislied  in  half  that  time.  The  distance 
betAveen  Mafeking-  and  Vrylnirg  Avarf  covered  in 
a  day.  Starting  at  3.30  p.m.,  the  rekys  and  mail 
teams  taking  ns  along  with  nnusual  rapidity,  we 
reached  Vryburg  at  8.30  in  the  evening.  Oh  ! 
the  comfort  and  luxury  of  the  railway,  after 
seven  months  of  travellino;  in  coaches  and 
waggons.  \.  week  was  pleasantly  passed  at 
Kimberley,  where  I  was  the  guest  of  Mr.  Rhodes. 
N^o  change  could  be  noted  here.  The  concen- 
tration of  the  diamond  industry  into  the  hands 
of  a  single  comj^any  has  cramped  the  develop- 
ment of  this  town.  But  there  is  there  a  hospi- 
table and  amiable  society,  and  the  most  comfortable 
and  well-manao'ed  club  I  have  ever  come  across 
in  my  numerous  travels.  Captain  Tyson,  the 
secretary  of  this  club,  is  a  perfect  jDrovidence  to  the 
English  visitor;  So  once  more  in  Capetown,  where 
I  whiled  away  three  weeks  waiting  for  Mr.  Perkins, 
the  mining  expert,  to  rejoin  me  from  Johannesburg 
where  he  had  been  eno-ao;ed  in  a  second  minute 
examination  of  the  gold-field  of  Witwatersrand. 
The  rest  and  the  comparative  idleness  after  so 
many  weeks  of  hard  and  rough  travel,  and  above 
all  the  gracious  hospitality  extended  to  me  by  his 
Excellency  the  High  Commissioner  and  Governor, 
were  enjoyable  beyond  description.  Time  was 
now  ample  for  reflection  and  retrospect,  nor  were 
materials  for  such  wanting.  The  following  problem 
continually  presented  itself  to  me  :  How  could  the 
paucity  of  British  population  in  the  Cape  Colony, 
and  in  South  Africa  generally,  be  accounted  for  ? 


328   Men,  Mines,  and  Animals  in  South  Africa. 


Soil  and  climate  equal  to  that  of  Australia,  vastly 
superior  to  that  of  Canada,  should  have  attracted  a 
constant  stream  of  emigrants,  either  to  the  Cape, 
Bechuanaland,  to  the  Transvaal  or  to  Xatal. 
Such  for  some  reason  or  other  has  not  been  the 
case.  Possibly  the  Dutch  element  so  predominant 
throua'hout  South  Africa  is  unfavourable  to  rai^id 
enterprise,  possibly  the  large  amount  of  cliea]) 
native  labour  conflicts  witli  the  attainment  of  a 
very  liigh  standard  of  colonial  prosperity  and 
strength.  Whether  it  be  so  or  not,  the  question 
presents  itself  for  study.  In  Australia  and  Canada 
many  millions  of  populatiou,  mainly  drawn  from 
British  sources  ;  in  South  Africa  from  the  Cape 
to  the  Zambesi,  a  territory  of  vast  expanse,  "witli 
miles  of  fertile  pastures  most  suitable  to  cattle  and 
sheep,  with  acres  of  land  capable  of  pi'oducing 
abundant  crops  of  grain,  with  forests  giving  most 
valuable  and  excellent  timber,  Avith  mines  of  every 
metal,  and  with  large  deposits  of  coal,  is  inhabited 
at  present  l)y  about  half  a  million  of  white  people, 
not  more  than  two-thirds  oi"  which  are  of  Britisli 
origin. 

The  most  sanguine  di'camer  can  hardly  over- 
estimate the  agricultural  and  mineral  resources  of 
the  Transvaal.  Before  the  end  of  the  year  the 
railway  will  have  sui^erseded  the  ox  waggon, 
Johannesburg  and  Pretoria  will  be  connected 
with  the  railway  systems  of  Cape  Colony  and  of 
Xatal.  This  should  produce  a  rapid  and  large 
increase  of  population  and  of  mining  industry. 
Probably  in  the  history  of  mining,  no  gold-field  more 


Agricultural  and  Mineral  Resources,    329 


important  than  the  Witwatersrand  has  ever  been 
discovered.  When  I  passed  through  Johannesburg 
in  June,  1891,  the  monthly  output  of  gold  from  its 
mines  was  54,000  ounces.  At  the  time  of  wi'itino- 
this  has  risen  to  86,000  ounces.  Three  causes  will 
contribute  to  sustain  and  swell  this  remarkable 
development.  The  general  introduction  into  the 
mines  of  the  compressed  air  rock-drilling 
machinery,  and  a  consequent  large  increase  in  the 
amount  of  auriferous  ore,  extracted  together  with 
a  saving  in  the  charge  for  labour.  2.  The  marked 
success  of  the  chemical  23rocesses,  for  treating 
tailings  with  a  consequent  large  increase  in  the 
amount  of  gold  actually  won.  3.  The  construction 
of  the  railway  to  Johannesl^urg,  with  a  consequent 
large  decrease  in  Avorking  expenses,  and  in  the 
cost  of  li^ano-.  There  is  now  before  manv  if  not 
all  of  the  WitA\'atorsrand  mines  an  amount  of 
auriferous  ore  practically  in  sight  which  can 
exhaust  the  energies  of  at  least  another  generation 
of  men.  Of  the  silver  deposits  near  Johannesburg 
no  absolutelv  definite  and  precise  allegation  can  be 
made.  Their  j^romise  is  good,  and  almost  warrants 
the  speculation  that  some  day  the  silver  mining- 
industry  will  rival  if  not  surpass  in  importance  the 
gold-mining  industry  of  the  Randt.  It  is  to  the 
Transvaal  wealth  that  I  look  for  the  attraction 
which  may  ere  long  thickly  populate  South  Africa. 
It  is  impossible  not  to  regret  that  a  policy  as  some 
say  of  prudence,  as  others  say  of  cowardice,  com- 
pelled Great  Britain  to  give  up  her  direct 
authoritv   over  this  land,  but   the   riches   of  the 


330  Men,  Mines,  and  Animals -in  South  Africa. 

world  arc  tlioro  in  {il)imclaiice,  nor  is  it  in  t\\v. 
power  of  a  feeble,  corrupt  and  almost  insolvent 
Boer  Government  to  j^re^'ent  or  to  delay  for  long 
these  riches  being  largely  distrilnited  among  man- 
kind. Pages  I  could  write  in  praise  of  South 
Africa,  but  fortunately  want  of  space  arrests  me. 
To  the  young,  vigorous  and  versatile  British 
emigrant,  I  can  recommend  tlie  country  as  a  place 
where  the  means  of  ease  and  affluence  can  be 
acquired  rapidly,  if  only  fortime  smiles ;  to  the 
ti'aveller  in  search  of  health,  distraction,  amuse- 
ment, sport,  beauty  of  scenery,  excellence  of 
climate,  I  can  recommend  it  as  being  the  region  of 
the  "world  most  favoured  l)y  nature,  either  for  the 
residence  or  the  industry,  or  the  wanderings  of 
man. 


THE    EM). 


J 


INDEX. 


Adderley  Street,  Cape  Town,  19. 

Africa,  coaching  in,  53-4  :  equip- 
ment of  an  expedition  for,  117- 
121;  hunting  the  lion  in,  lGl-2; 
cost  of  a  six  niontlis'  hunting 
expedition  in,  216-S  ;  a  genuine 
stickfast  in,  221-2,  2o7. 

Agriculture  in  Mashonaland,  27G-7  ; 
at  Hartley  Hill,  281 ;  in  Transvaal, 
328-9. 

Alcohol  in  the  Transvaal  92 ;  at 
Palapye,  319. 

"  Alice  "  reef,  Mazoe  Valley,  295-6. 

Amatongaland,  27. 

Amusements  on  the  Grantalhj  Castle, 
11,  12. 

Antelope,  150-5,  158,  1G5-170,  185, 
199,  211,  214,  218,  220-6,  228,  233, 
249-262,  267  ;  see  also  llesbok, 
buck,  harte-beest,  gazelle,  koodoos, 
springbol:,  &c.. 

Armament  required  for  hunting  ex- 
pedition in  South  Africa,  217. 

Athletic  sports  on  the  GrantuUy 
Castle,  12,  13. 

Auction  at  Fort  Salisbury,  247,  284-6. 

"Baboon,"  the  (Lee's  bov),  147, 
150,  153-9,  2:^5-9,  232,  253-9,  262. 

Baboons,  243,  258. 

Bads-loop,  98. 

Balwyo,  320. 

Bangmangwato  tribe,  318,  319. 

Basutoland,  government  of,  27. 

Beale's  Camp,  221,  226. 

Bechuanaland,  government  of,  27, 
326 ;  native  reserve  in,  50-52 ; 
Border  Police  of,  105-8,  12  +  ,  129, 
132,  136,  142,  144,  190,  300,  311, 
315-7,  322 ;  Sir  Charles  Warren 
and,  124. 

Bechuanaland  Exploration  Com- 
pany, 321-6. 

Beit,  Mr.  Alfred,  142,  191,  209,  233, 
242-3,  265,  270,  272. 


Benett-Stanford,  Mr.,  7-9. 

Benkes,  Mr.,  86-7. 

"  Birthday"  mine,  the,  99. 

Blar.dy  and  Co.,  Madeira,  9. 

Blesbok,  75,  76. 

"  Bless,"  horse  named,  184,  186,  188. 

Blue  ground  extracted  at  Kimberlev, 

41. 
Boers    in    the    Transvaal,    22-25;  at 
Johannesburg:,     60-64,      72 ;     and 
game,    75  ;    the  Transvaal  Parlia- 
ment, 81-f'8;  idea  of  justice,  88- 
92 ;  trek    by,    into    Mashonaland, 
88-6,  93,  lOS-110  ;  and  Swazifand, 
92-4  ;  as  farmers,  94-5  ;  and  wells, 
102. 
Borrow,  Mr.,  218,  239,  243,  296,  298  ; 
see     also     Johnson,     Heaney    and 
Borroiv. 
Botanical  Gardens  at  Lisbon,  7;  at 

Cape  Town,  18. 
Botany,     garden    at    Madeira,    8-9  : 

the  petuna,  258. 
Bread  a  luxury  in  the  bush,  180. 
Breakwater  at  Cape  Town,  19. 
British    Chartered     South    African 
Company,   22,    25,    104,  105,  108; 
police    of,    111-112,    li4;  at    Fort 
Victoria,  189-192;  196-7,  205,  231; 
huts    of,    206;  at    Fort    Salisbury, 
282-9 ;  police  of,  299,  300. 
Bubjane  lliver,  156,  175,  176. 
Babye  River,  150. 
Bucks,  142,  144,  145,  173,  211,  214, 

217,  218,  220,  228,  250,  266,  294. 
Bufflesdorn  Mine,  57. 
Buildings  at  Fort  Salisbury,  282. 
Ballock-vehicle,  Madeira,  9. 
Bultfontein  Mine,  see  Be  Beers  Co. 
Bulnroyo,  268. 
Bush  fires,  187-8,  307-8. 
ByL  Mr.  Van  der,  302. 

Cameron,  General,  28-31. 
Camp  by  moonlight,  our,  144. 


Index. 


Camp  fire  concert  at  Fort  Tuli,  124-5. 

Cape  de  Verde,  9. 

Cape  Town,  arrival  at,  15-17  ;  build- 
ings in,  17-19  ;  quietness  of,  19, 
20  ;  environs  of,  21 ;  as  a  coaling 
station,  28;  defences  of,  29-30; 
garrison  at,  31 ;  departure  from, 
32-33. 

Cupper,  Captain,  and  the  new 
magazine  rifle,  113-5. 

Carbolic  oil,  usefulness  of,  102. 

Carrington,  Sir  Frederick,  lOu-8, 
110-112,  125,  142,  144,  252,  311. 

Cattle  disease,  51. 

Cattle  of  Boers,  94;  at  Fort  Vic- 
toria,  190. 

"  Charlie,"  shooting  pony,  158,  18G. 

Chimpanzees,  7. 

Chlorination  process,  the,  66-70. 

Churchill,  Lord  R.,  journey  to 
Cape  Town,  1-16 ;  Cape  Colony 
17-33  ;  at  Kimberley,  34-49  ;  at 
Johannesburg,  50-78 ;  and  the 
Transvaal,  79-95 ;  the  journey  to 
Fort  Tuli,  96-125  ;  and  the  lions, 
158-174;  the  journey  to  Fort  Vic- 
toria, 175-192  ;  from  Fort  Victoria 
to  Fort  Salisbury,  193-211  ;  sport 
in  Mashonaland,  212-233,  246- 
262;  the  Mazoe  Valley  gold  dis- 
trict,  234-245;  and  wealth  of 
Mashonaland,  263-275 ;  at  Fort 
Salisbury,  276-294 ;  the  journey 
home,  295-327;  advice  to  emi- 
grants, 328-330. 

Climate  of  Cape  Town,  17,  21;  of 
the  Karroo  plain,  35-6  ;  of  Trans- 
vaal, 68,  72,  81,  124  ;  of  Pretoria. 
82;  at  Fort  Tuli,  124  ;  of  Mashona- 
land, 198-9;  at  Fort  Salisbury, 
206;  of  Mashonaland,  293,  301. 

Coaches  and  coaching  in  South 
Africa,  52-5,  298-9. 

Coal  mines  near  .Johannesburg,  74. 

Coaling  station.  Cape  Town  as  a,  28, 
29. 

Colquhoun,  Mr.,  200. 

Concerts  at  Fort  Tuli,  124-5  ;  at 
Palla  Camp,  130. 

Concessions  in  the  Transvaal,  64. 

Cooking  of  venison,  the,  220-1. 

Corruption  in  the  Transvaal,  64. 

Cost  of  a  six  months'  hunting  ex- 
pedition in  South  Africa,  216^8. 

Coventry,  Honourable  Charles,  119 
153,  233,  265. 

Crocodile  River,  see  Limpopo  River. 

Crocodiles,  130. 


Cruelty  of  Boers,  88-92. 
Cyanide    of  potassium    process,    66, 
69,  70. 

Damaraland,  27,  52. 
Dartmouth,  1,  5. 
De  Beer,  Mr.,  86-7. 
De    Beers'    Company,    the,    at  Kim- 
berley, 38-48,»191. 
Deer,  preservation  of,  76, 
Defences  of  Cape  Town,  the,  28-31. 
Desolation,  a  time  of,  138-9. 
Diamond  industry  at  Kimberley,  36- 

49. 
Docks  at  Cape  Town,  19. 
Doctors,    lack    of,    in    Mashonaland, 

202-3. 
Dogs,  advice  about,  for  South  Africa, 

102  ;  our,  160,  168. 
Donkeys,  266. 
Dutch  in  Cape    Town,    the    English 

and,  22-25,  328. 
Dutch  Parliament,  the,  at  Pretoria, 

83-88. 
Du   Toits  Pan  mine,  see   De    Beers 

Co. 
Dynamite,  a  monopoly,  64. 

KoGELL,  Mb.,116,  117,  13t,  136,  143, 

230,  265. 
"  Eiflel"  district,  the,  265,  270. 
Elands,  199,  218,  225,  233,  239,  259- 

262. 
Elebi,  134. 
Electric    light 

Mine,   48;  in 

Jline,  65. 
Elephants,  147. 
Emigrant,  Mashonaland  for  the ,237-8; 

South  Africa  for  the,  330. 
English   and  Dutch  in  Cape  Town, 

the,  22-25. 
Exploration      Company     Syndicate, 

244-5. 
Expedition,     the,     composition    and 

equipment,  116-121 ;  sale  of  etiects 

of,  284-6. 
Eytings,  99. 

Fairyland,  a  veritable,  103. 
Farmer,  the  Boer  as  a,  94-.5,  192. 
Feathered   game    in    the  Transvaal, 

76. 
Fern  Spruit,  184,  186-8,  306. 
Ferreira,  Col.,  109,  191. 
Ferroira  Mine,  the,  69. 
Fever  at  Palla  Camp,  129  ;  at  Lnndi 

River  Camp,  181-3  :  at  Fort  Vic- 


in    the    De     Beers 
the   Robinson  Gold 


Index. 


1  -»  5 

000 


toria,   190 ;  in   Mashonaland,   203, 

237-8. 
Fire  on  board  the  Lirantulhj    Castle, 

13-15. 
Fires,  Veldt,  187-8,  230,  307-8. 
"  Fly  "  (grey  gelding),  loss  of,  182. 
Flying  fish,  10. 

Footpads  in  Johannesburg,  60. 
Fort  Charter,  191,  195-8,  200-203. 
Fort  Salisbury,  193,  200,  203-8,  211, 

218,  230-6,  238,  246,  258,  274,  281- 

298. 
Fort  Tuli,  96,  109,  110-116,  142,  291, 

310-311,  313. 
Fort  Victoria,  189,   193,  201-3,  280, 

291,  300-310. 
Fort  Wynyard,  30. 
Fraser,  Messrs.,  rifle  made  bv,  118. 
Frere,  Sir  Bai  tie,  23. 
Funchal  Bay,  7. 

Gaberones  Station,  325. 

Game   ia   Transvaal,  102  ;  on  vSouth 

Africa  veldt,  150-2. 
Garrison  at  Cape  Town,  the,  31  ;  at 

Fort  Charter,  202. 
Gascoigne,  Major,  103. 
Gazelles,  225. 
Gideon  (boy),  119. 
GiHard,  Mr.,  289. 
Giles,    Major     George,     3,    4,    116-7, 

130-132, 136, 145, 153,  170,'174, 176, 

181,  186,  193,  265,  266,  298,  306, 

309, 311,  324  ;  accident  to,  230  ;  and 

the  horse  sickness,  121-3. 
Giraffe,  133,  173,218.  ■^ 

Gladstone,  Mr.,  5,  and  the  Trausvaa 

War,  23-25. 
Gold    near     Hartley    Hill,   200;    in 

Mashonaland,    207-211,   236,    271, 

277-281 ;  see  also  Mazoe,  Ac;  round 

Fort  Victoria,  302-3. 
Gold-field  of  Witwatersrand,  327-9. 
Gold  mines  in  Johannesburg,  59,  63- 

73,  79-81. 
"Golden    Quarry"    mine,    243,   297, 

306-7. 
Goold-Adams,    Major,    108-10,   316, 

317. 
Government  House,  Cape  Town,  18. 
Government    buildings    at  Pretoria, 

83. 
Governments     in      South      Africa, 

various  forms  of,  25-28. 
Graham,  Mr.,  264. 
Grabanistown  Mine,  the,  71. 
Gruntulhj    Castle,   voyage  in  the,  5- 

16. 


Guns,  breech-loading  at  Cape  Town' 

28-31. 
Gvveebi  River,  239. 

Hampden,  Mount,  207,  211,  239  211 

295. 
Harber,  Mr.,  323,  324. 
Harris,  Dr.  Rutherford,  288-290. 
Harrebeests,  139,  140,  155,  199   214 

219,    222-6,    232,   233,    250-4,  266, 

268. 
Hartley  Hill,  gold  district  of,  200, 

208,  209,  236,  237,  246-7,  253,  258, 

262,  263-274,  279. 
Hex  River,  34  ;  Pass,  34-5. 
Hippopotami,  258,  294. 
Honev  bird,  the,  147. 
Hopley,  Mr.,  284. 
Horse-racing  at  Fort  Salisburv,  289. 

290.  ^ 

Horse  sickness   in    Africa,  51    121, 

127-8. 136, 176-7,  181,  183, 186,  190 

2,  308-9,  315. 
Hotel  accommodation,  iu  the  Trans- 
vaal, 55-6;    at  the    Warm    Baths, 

Pretoria,  98,  at  Pietersburg,  101. 
Hot   springs    near    Worcester,    34  ; 

near  Pretoria,  98. 
House-breakers      iu      Johannesburg 

60. 
Hunting  in  South  Africa,  212-8. 
Hunyani  River,  204,  211,  212,218-9, 

233,  238,  265. 
Huts    of  the    B.S.A.C.C,    20(i ;     of 

Kaffirs,  255. 
Hyteuas,  133,  160,  218, 

Ipaci  Hiver,  145. 

Iddesleigb,  Lord,  20, 

Illicit     diamond    buying    in     South 

Africa,  45-7. 
2».sed.s'.       Ants,    258;     Black    flies, 

plague    of,   263 ;     tsetze   fly,    the, 

160,213.  265,  266, 298 ;  caterpillars, 

225. 
Inspanning,  the  business  of,  143. 
Invalids,  South  Africa  and,  15,  16. 
Irish  Land  Question  Bill,  2. 

Jackals,  160,211,  218,  229. 
Jahshaan,  102. 
Jamioson,  Dr.,  206,  218. 
Jiintje,  a  native,  89-91. 
Johiiunesburg,  49;    the  journey  to, 

53-7  ;        description      of,       58-60 ; 

taxation  iu,  61-2  ;  government  at, 

()3-4 ;      mines     at,     65-75,    79-83, 

328-9. 


334 


Index. 


Johnson,  Heanev  and  Barrow, 
Messrs.,  218,  239,  242,  264,  272, 
282-3,  298. 

Joubert,  General,  81,  88,  109,  110. 

"  Jumbo  "  mine,  the,  243. 

"  Jumpers  "  G-old  .Mine,  70. 

Justice,  the  Boer's  idea  of,  88-92. 

Kaffie,  maltreatment  of  a,  88-91. 
Kaffirs,  103;  women,  128-9;  waggons, 

137  ;  kraals,  2.55  ; 
Karroo,  plain  of  the,  35-G. 
Kenilworth,  model  village,  at  Kim- 

berley,  47. 
Khama,  Chief,  145,  312,  318-323. 
Kimberley,  119,  313,327-8;  diamond 

industry  at,  36-49. 
Kimberley  mine,  see  De  Beers  Co. 
Klerksdorp,  56-S. 
Knollys,  Colonel,  28. 
Koertze,  Mr.,  76. 
Koodoos,  133,   143-8,  I.jO,  1-55,   160, 

164,  172,  176,    218,  22-5,  232,  259 ; 

see  also  antelopes. 
"  Koijjes,"  rocky,  179,  205,  249. 
Kraals    of  natives   iu  Mashonaland, 

204,241,254. 
Kruger,  President,  84-88,  93,  110. 

Lange,  Mr.  A.  E.  de,cruelty  of,  88-91. 
Langlaate  Estate,  the,  68. 
Lanyon,  Sir  Owen,  23. 
Laurie,  Captain,  96,  105,  107. 
Lee,  Mr.  Hans,  the  hunter,  119,  144- 

8,    150-160,    176;  182-5,    211,212, 

217,    233,    248-251,  254-262,    267; 

and  the  lions,  161-174. 
Leonard,  Captain,  110. 
Leopards,  36,  213,  275. 
Library,  Public,  at  Cape  Town, IS,  19. 
Licenses  in  Fort  Salisbury,  292. 
Limpopo   Eiver,    103,    105-108,    129, 

131, 132,  135,  142,  212,  316. 
Lion  Camp,  158-174. 
Lions,   132,   155,   157,    160-172,  199, 

203-4,  213,  217,  264,  267,  302. 
Lipokwe  River,  137. 
Liquor  traffic  at  Fort  Salisbury,  292. 
Lisbon,  6-7. 

Livestock  iu  the  Transvaal.  51. 
Lobengula,  Chief,  125,  14-5,' 204,  268, 

316-320,  see  also  Matabe/e. 
Loch,  Sir  Henry,  2. 
Logan,  Mr.  J.  D.,  35-6. 
Lo-Maguudi  district,  271,  279,  281. 
Long's  Mine,  306. 
Lost  in  the  veldt,  137-141,  252-3. 


Lotsani  River,  134,  135. 

Lottery   on  board    Granttdbj   Castle, 

11. 
Lundi  River,  174,  176,  179,  181,   184, 

302,  308-9. 

McArthor-Forrest    process,    the, 

6G-70. 
Machudi's  Kraal,  324-5. 
Mackay,  Mr.,  116,  117,  122,  131,  134, 

1  6,  143,  153,  265,  266,  270,  280. 
Macloutsie,  136,  311-318. 
iladeira,  7-9. 

Mafeking,  49,  126,  312,  325-6. 
Magazine  rifle,  the  new,  112115. 
Magistrates  in  Mashonaland,  290. 
Mahalopsie  River,  131. 
MajubaHill,  23,  21. 
Makala  tribe,  153. 
Malarial  fever,  see  Fever. 
Mammoth  River,  271. 
Manicaland,  104- ;  gold  district,  207, 

236-7,  269,  274,  280,  294. 
Mariko  River,  128. 
Marico  district,  the,  192. 
Maripi,  128. 

Marks  &  Co.,  estnte  of,  76-8. 
Marriage  in  Mashonaland,  218-9. 
Martini-Henry  riHe,  the,   compared 

to  the  new  magazine  rifle,  113-5. 
Mary  Pioneer  mine,  the,  297. 
Mashonaland,  2,  4  ;  and  the  Boers, 

85-6,  93  ;  wealth  of,  175  ;  the  best 

part   of,  182-3;    climate  and  soil 

of,  198-9  ;  from  a  mining  point  of 

view,    209,    293  ;    emigration    in, 

237-8  ;  wealth  and  fertility  of,  2(i9, 

271,  276-281;  natives'  dress,  286; 

postal  communication  iu,  290. 
Massi   Kessi,  skirmish  near,    104-5, 

300. 
Matabele,  raids  of  the,  202,  204,  205, 

241,  321 ;  see  also  Lohenqxda. 
Matabeleland,  25,  26,  28.  52,  86,  110 ; 

womtn,  128-9;  tree  in,  160. 
^latchless  mine,  the,  279. 
Matjesfoutein,  35. 
Matlaputta  River,  136. 
Maunde,  Mr.,  179,  180. 
Maxim  gun  at  Fort  Tuli,  109,  112  ; 

at  Macloutsie,  317. 
Mazoe  River  gold  district,  200,  207- 

9,  233,  23i,  237-246,  269,  274,  279, 

295-7. 
Menu  at  hotel  in  Transvaal,  55-6. 
Mineral  resources,  of  Matabeleland, 

25;    of  Transvaal,  100,   328-9;  of 

Mashonaland,  278-281. 


Index. 


335 


Mines,  see  De  Beers  Co.,  RoUnson  Co., 

Kimherley,  &c. 
Mines      near     Kimberlej,     57 ;      in 

Johannesburg,  58-60,  65-75. 
Mining       in       the       Zoutspaabnrg 

district,  99,  100. 
Mockell,  Mr.,  117. 
Monkeys,  7;  see  also  hahoons,  chint- 

panzeet^. 
Montgomery,  Sergeant-Major,  289. 
Morier,  Mr.  Victor,  103-5. 
Morrison's  store,  105. 
Mountains,  some  miniature,  179-80. 
Mount  Marias  mine,  99. 
Mules,  driving  a  team  of,  53. 
Mules,  our,  143, 1.56,  176-7 ;  habits  of, 

148-9,   182,    191-2,    199,    203,   30:f, 

315,  317. 
Murchison  district,  99. 
Myburgh.  Mr.,  117,  149,  157,  166-9, 

179,  182,  184. 

Natal,  Government  of,  26. 
Native  market,  153-4. 
Native  reserve  iu  Bechuanaland,  51. 
Natives  as  servants,  194-5,  247-S. 
Natural      History     Museum,     Cape 

Town,  18,  19. 
Nelmapius,  Mr.,  100. 
Notorious  diamond  thief,  a,  46-7. 
Notwaui  River,  325. 
Nyistrom,  98. 

Orange  Free  State,  27. 
Ornithology  ~ 

Bittern,  77. 

Bustards,  36,  76,  225. 

Cranes,  76,  78. 

Doves,  101. 

Duck,  78,  127,  130. 

Eagle,  77. 

Guinea  fowls,  101-2,  137,  139. 

Honey-bird,  the,  147. 

Koran.  36,  55,  77,  78. 

Partridcres,  36,  55,  77,  78,  101. 

Pheasants,  101,  137,    138,    142, 
144. 

Pigeons,  77. 

Plovers,  55,  77-8. 

Quails,  36,  77-8, 

Snipe,  77-8. 

Teal,  130. 

Vultures,  55,  75,  229. 

Wild  fowl,  77. 

Wild  turkey,  78,  239. 
Ostriches,  183-1,  199,  2 IT,,  239,  259, 
260. 


Outfit  necessary  for  hunting  expe- 
dition, 216-7. 

Oxen,  loss  of,  63  ;  our,  at  Tuli,  123 
143,  146,  184,  230;  habits  of,' 
148-9. 

Paarl,  old  town  of   French   origin 
33-4.  °     ' 

Paddington  Station,  1,  5. 
Paddiugton  man,  a,  35. 
Palapye,  312,  318-323. 
Palla  Camp,  129,  315,  323. 
Palmitsfontein  mine,  the,  99. 
Panouse,  Count  de  la,  243. 
Papenfu,  Mr.,  284. 
Paris  Exhibition,  diamond  exhibited 

at,  42. 
Paritj,  estate  near,  76. 
Pelajjswe,  136. 

Pennefather,  Colonel,  104,  207. 
Perkius,  Mr.  H.  C.  4,  97,  209-10,  234 
235,  238-247,  253,  265-7,  271,  274-5, 
287,  298,  307,  327. 
Personnel  of  Expedition,  116-121. 
Pietersburg,  99-101. 
Plains  in  Africa,  see  T'eldf. 
Police,  at  Johanue.sburg,  60;  at  Fore 
Salisbury,  290;  the  Bechuanaland 
Border,   105-8,  124,  129,  136,  142, 
144,  300  ;  of  the  B.S.  A.C.  Co.,  299, 
303. 
Politics    in    England,    2;    in    South 

Africa,  25-28. 
Poll  tax  in  the  Transvaal,  62. 
Pondolaud,  27. 
Port  Elizabeth,  19. 
Portuguese,     skirmish     with,     near 

]\rassi  Kessi,  104-5,  110,  300. 
Postal  Communication  in  Mashona- 

land,  290. 
Potchefstrom,  57. 
Power  of  President  Kruger,  87-8. 
Preservation  of  deer,  76. 
Pretoria,   82,   97,   328;  taxation  in, 
61-2  ;  Dutch  Parliament  at,  83-88. 
Prospecting  Mashonaland,  278. 
Providence  Gorge,  189. 
Provisions  required  for  a  six  months' 

hunting  expedition,  217-8. 
PuUen's  "  Winkel  "  in  the  Transvaal, 

55-6. 
"Pulsator"     machine,     De     Beers 

Mine,  42. 
Puugwe  River  and  route,  104-5,  201), 
279,  294,  2^8. 

Qlaugas,  147,  150,  165-171,  214,218. 


53^ 


Index. 


Railways  in  the  Transvaal,  49,  50, 

63,  73,  80,  328-9. 
Rains,  heavy,  145,  177,  237-8,  300  ; 

scarcity  of,  136. 
Ramatlabaiia,  126,  325. 
Ramoutsa,  325. 

Randt  gold-field,  the,  71,  72,  74. 
liayner,  Surgeon  Hugh,  4,   126,  144, 

ISH,  203,  265  8,  298,  324. 
Reptiles,  see  Snakes. 
Reserve   for   Natives  in    Bechiiaua- 

land,  51. 
Rhinoceros,  294. 
Rhodes,  Mr.  Cecil,  2,  22-4,  95-7  ;  200, 

288,  293-7,   305,    325-7;    and    the 

De  Beers  Co.,  38. 
Rhodes's  Drift,  105,  107. 
Rifle,  the  nev?  magazine,  112-5. 
Roads,   in   the  Transvaal,  54,  63-4  ; 

between  Fort  Victoria   and    Fort 

Charter,  299,  300. 
Robinson  Gold  Mine,  the,  65-9. 
Rolker,    Mr.    209,    234-5,    242,    216, 

247,  253,  265,  287. 
Romilly,  Mr.  Hugh,  191. 
"Ruby,"  horse  named,  186. 
Rustemburg  Goal,  88-91. 
Rylands  and  Fry,  Messrs.,  173,  176. 

Salary  of  members  of  Dutch  Parlia- 
ment, 87. 

Salisbury,  Lord,  28. 

Salisbury  Gold  Miue,  the,  70. 

Sandpits,  127. 

Sanitary  Board  at  Jolianuesbnrg, 
61-2. 

Sapte,  Major,  103-4. 

b'aroe  River,  258. 

Saur,  Dr.,  132-134. 

Search  room  at  Kimberley  diamond 
mines,  45. 

Seeker,  Mr.,  322. 

Selous,  Mr.,  the  hunter,  18,  207. 

Semalali  River,  137. 

Sequana,  128. 

Servants,  our  native,  194-5,  247-8. 

Shave  by  a  Hindoo  barber,  134. 

Sheep  in  the  Transvaal,  51 ;  sheep 
scab,  51. 

ShepBtone,  Sir  T.,  23. 

Shippard,  Sir  Sydney,  52. 

Shooting  in  South  Africa,  212-8. 

Silika,  132. 

"  Simmer  and  Jack  "  gold  mine,  70. 

Simon,  Dr.,  69,  70. 

Simon's  Bay,  defence  of,  29,  30. 

Sinclair,  Mr.,  127. 

Sitwell,  Captain,  316. 


"  SkofiF,"  132,  134. 

Slater,  Mr.,  284,  289. 

Smitsdorp,  99. 

Snakes,  213;  a  cobx-a,  227;  scor- 
pions, 275  ;  a  puff  adder,  324. 

Soil,  in  the  Transvaal,  80-81;  of 
Pretoria,  83 ;  of  Mashonaland, 
198-9,  238,  276-7;  at  Fort  Salis- 
bury, 206  ;  at  Hartley  Hill,  263. 

South  Africa  for  invalids,  15,  16; 
trekking  in,  311-2  ;  for  emigrant, 
330. 

"  South  Africa,"  a  number  of.  128-9. 

South  African  Republic,  22,  24. 

Speculation  in  gold  mines,  281. 

"Spider,"  the,  travelling  by,  100, 
105,  176-8,  182. 

Sport  on  the  Karroo  plain,  36  ;  in 
the  Transvaal,  75-8  ;  v?ith  Sir  F. 
Carrington,  142-4  ;  on  the  veldt, 
147-152  ;  see  also  Zooloiji/,  &c. 

Sjjringbok,  36,  75.  76,  78. 

Stanhope,  Mr.  (Secretary  of  State 
for  War),  30,  31;  and  the  new 
magazine  rifle,  112-115. 

Stickfast,  a  genuine  African,  221-2, 
257. 

Stock  Exchange,  London, and  Johan- 
nesburg gold  mines,  59. 

Suchi  River,  135. 

Sugar  Loaf  Mountain,  179,  180. 

"Susanna"  reef,  Mazoe  valley, 
295-6. 

Swallows,  10. 

Swaziland,  government  of,  27  ;  the 
Boers  and,  92-4,  110. 

Table  Bay,  15  ;  defences  of,  29. 
Table  Mountain  and  Bay,  15,  17. 
Tagus  Kiver,  6,  7. 
Tatagora  River,  239. 
Taxation  in  the  Transvaal,  61-2. 
Tati  gold-fields,  49,  50. 
Taxes  in  Fort  Salisbury,  292. 
Telegraph  wire  at  Macloutsie,  136  ; 

to  Fort  Victoria,    145,    305-6  ;    at 

Fort  Salisbury,  291. 
Telephones   fixed   in    the  De  Beers 

Mine,  48. 
Temperature  at  Fort  Tuli,  124  ;  at 

night,  126 ;  at  Hartley  Hill,  264, 

26S. 
Terra  Santa,  Island  of,  7. 
Theft    of    diamonds    at  Kinib(>rley, 

44-7. 
Thief,  a  notorious  diamond,  46-7. 
Thorns,  130. 
Ticks,  dogs  and,  102. 


Index. 


337 


Tiriki(Fervaut),  248-9,  303-5. 
Tokwe  River,  302. 
Towln  Mount,  155,  157. 
Tiansvaa],  the,  26,  50,  52,  81-2;  hotel 
accommodation    in,    55-6 ;    Silver 
Wines  Co.,  74  ;  deer  and  feathered 
game    in,    76-8  ;     government    at 
Pretoria,    83-88 ;      Boer     justice, 
88-91;      nativfs     in,      92;      Boer 
farmers     in,    1*4-5 ;     mineral     re- 
sources of.  100,  328-9. 
Transvaal  War,  the,  22-25. 
Trees,  at    Madeira,     8,    9,    130;    in 
Transvaal,  73,  81,  97;  a.  in  Mata- 
beleland,   160;     in    Mashonaland, 
240-1;   "Cream    of    Tartar"  tree, 
103;    elephant      fruit    tree,     147; 
mahogany  tree,   1£5  ;  snake    tree, 
159;  mogundi  tree,  224  ;  makoona 
tree,  254  ;  wild  fig-tree,  258. 
Trek   by    Boers    into    Mashonaland, 
85-6,  93,   108-110;  from    Vrvburg 
to  Tuli,  121-2;   through  the  "bush. 
156,  a  record,  310.  311.  314. 
Tuli  River,  96,    143  ;    see  also    Fort 

Tuli. 
Turner,  Captain,  189. 
Tye,  Major,  110. 
Tyson,  Captain,  327. 


Ujifuli  River,   290,  208,    221,   225 

263,  271. 
Umfuli   River,   the    upper,  203,   204 

215,  238. 
Umjinge  River,  153,  156. 
Umsajbetsi  River,  148. 
Umsavre  River,  177. 
Umshlane  River,  150. 
Umswezi  River,  266,  270,  279. 
Umtala,  283,  294. 
Umzingwani  River,  145,  148,  309. 
L'shant,  ofij  5. 


Vaal  River,  76. 

Vehicle  drawn  by  bullocks  in, 
Madeira,  9. 

Vehicles  for  African  Expedition, 120. 

Veldt,  the,  from  Kimberley  'to  Vry- 
burg,  50-51 ;  round  Fretox-ia,  93, 
97 ;  round  Pietersburg,  101-2 ; 
lost  in  the,  137-141,  150-2,  157, 
251-3  ;  bush  veldt,  179  ;  fire,  187-8, 
204,      212,     249;     between     Fort 

Salisbury  and  Hartley-Hill,  258. 

Viandt,  a  Boer  named,  183-4. 

Victoria  Falls  of  the  Zambesi,  50. 


Vigilance    Committee  at  Fort  Salis- 

bury,  287-9. 
Vryburg,  49-52.  121,  312,  326-7. 

Wages  at    De   Beers   Mine,    39  ;  at 

Robinson  Mine,  68. 
Walden  (servant),  166-7. 
Wanetse  River,  177-9,  302,  308-9. 
Warm  Baths  near  Pretoria,  98. 
War  Office,  the,  30,  31. 
Warren,  Sir  Charles,  and  Bechuana- 

land, 124. 
"  Warrigal  "  mine,  the,  297. 
Water  on  the  plain,  196-8. 
Water  rates  in  Transvaal,  62. 
Wegdraai,  132. 
Wellington,    town   of.  Cape  Colony 

34. 
Wells,  202.  the  Boers  and,  102. 
Wilderness,    lofct    in    the,    137-141 

252-3. 
Wildebeest,  75,  76,  135,  199,  218. 
Wild  pig,  147,  218,  232. 
Williams,  Mr.  Gardner,  40,  132-4. 
Williams,    Captain    G.,    4,    97,    148, 
153-9,  166,  169-173,  176,  185,  210, 
234,  238-248,  253,  265,  280. 
Willoughbv.  Sir  John,  206,  209,  211, 

2I8-233,'2G4-5,  287. 
Wines  of  the  Paarl,  34. 
Wiuslow,  Mr..  130. 
Winton,  Sir  Francis  de,  93. 
Witwatersrand,  gold-field  of,  327-9. 
Worcester,    town   of.  Cape    Colony, 

34. 
Workings,  old    mine,    in    IMashona- 

land,2-10,  303. 
Wyuberg,  near  Cape  Town,  21. 

Yellow   Jacket   Mine,  the,   242-3, 
296,  306-7. 

Zambesia,  22. 

Zambesi  River,  209,  213,  320. 

Zambili,  Queen,  27,  28. 

Zimboe  River,  258,  263. 

Zoological  Gardens  at  Lisbon,  6-7. 

Zoology  :  see  anttlopes,  haboons, 
bleskok,  lucks,  chimijanzees,  croco- 
diles, elands,  elephants,  gazelles, 
gio-affes,  harteheest,  hippopotatiii, 
hycenas,  jackals,  koodoos,  leo- 
pards, Iwns,  monkeys,  ijiiaci'jas, 
rhinoceros,  pringhok,  v:ildbeest, 
v.-ild  piio^- 

Zoutspanburg,  mining  district  of, 
99,  100,  159. 

Zulnlaud,  the  government  of,  26. 

Zumbo,  209,  232. 

Z 


Ifi?^^ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


F^B2  7  195?    ^ 
MAR  2  8 1958 


piSJi^iiARf^r.h^i: 


^       ,CJ  UD-UKL-     QJi 


,))^ 


up 


Il^' 


)79 

REC'D  LU-u 


!?P 


mBRTsisbz 


fiEC'D  aW 


Va  CI  KM  1 4 


U^^* 


REC'D  LD-UBD 

JUN  1  a  1973  ^'^R  2  1  I9^N0V  0  2 iSSI 

iV!AY2  7M?3  ..-     -- ^ 


,n ' 


t^f' 


ftB 


Ofc'^'iSo 


SEP  ^  ^ 


■jffl 
i975 


•WUD    f£B 


\s?9||  m 


^' 


m^ 


Form  L9-17ni-8,'55(B3339s4)444 


_^5^i 


3  1158  00509  4i 


_1. 


,[{{;  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FAC 


AA    001  114  3- 


2    0 


